1 Corinthians 3
1 My brothers and sisters, I couldn't talk with you as spiritual believers, but as worldly people—like baby Christians.
As for me, brothers, I could not talk to you as spiritual men, but as to creatures of flesh, mere babes in Christ.
2 I gave you milk—I couldn't give you solid food to eat, because you weren't ready for it.
I fed you milk, not meat; for you were unable to bear it.
3 Even now you're not ready for it, because you're still worldly. Since you're still jealous and argumentative, doesn't that show you're worldly, behaving just like ordinary people do?
You are not able even now, for you are still unspiritual. While there is among you jealousy and strife, are you not still unspiritual, and behaving like worldlings?
4 When one of you says, “I follow Paul,” while another says, “I follow Apollos,” doesn't that show you're being so very human?
When one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere worldlings?
5 Who is Apollos, anyway? And who is Paul? We're just servants through whom you believed. Each of us does the work God gave us to do.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Just ministers through whom you have believed, and each doing the work that the Lord gave him.
6 I did the planting, Apollos did the watering—but it was God who made you grow!
I planted, Apollos watered, but God made the seed grow.
7 So the one who does the planting doesn't count for anything, any more than the one who does the watering. The only one who matters is God who is growing you!
So neither is he who planted anything, nor he who watered, but God alone, who is making the seed grow.
8 The one planting and the one watering have the same goal, and both will be rewarded according to what they've done.
Now, though he who plants and he who waters are one, each will receive his own reward, according to his own service.
9 We are workers together with God—and you are God's field, his building.
For we are God’s fellow workers; and you are God’s field, you are God’s building.
10 Through the grace of God that he gave to me, I laid down the foundation like a skilled building supervisor. Now someone else is building on it. Whoever does the building needs to watch what they're doing.
According to the grace of God vouchsafed me, like a skillful master- builder, I have laid a foundation; but another will be building upon it. Let each take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no one can lay any other foundation than what's already laid—that is Jesus Christ.
The foundation is already laid - Jesus Christ - and no man can lay another.
12 Those who build on that foundation may use gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, or straw—
On that foundation, if a man proceeds to build gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each man’s work will be made manifest.
13 but whatever is used to build with will be exposed. For on the Day of Judgment fire will reveal it and test it. Everyone's work will be shown for what it is.
The Day will disclose it, for it dawns in fire, and the fire will test each man’s work, of what quality it is.
14 Those whose building survives will be rewarded.
If any man’s work - the building he has made - stands the test, he will be rewarded.
15 Those whose building is burned up will lose out. They will still be saved, but it will be like passing through fire!
If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, as it were through the flames.
16 Don't you know you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
Do you not know what you are God’s sanctuary, and that the Spirit of God is dwelling within you?
17 Anyone who destroys God's temple will be destroyed by God, for God's temple is holy, and you are the temple.
If any one tear down God’s sanctuary, God will tear him down; for the sanctuary of God is holy, and that is what you are.
18 Don't deceive yourselves. If there's anyone of you who thinks they're worldly wise, they should become fools so they can become truly wise! (aiōn g165)
Let no one deceive himself. If any one of you supposes that he is wise in the philosophy of the present age, let him become foolish, so that he may be wise. (aiōn g165)
19 This world's wisdom is plain foolishness to God. As Scripture says, “He uses the cleverness of the wise to catch them out,”
For the philosophy of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. It is written, He snares the wise in their own craftiness,
20 and “The Lord knows the arguments of the wise are pointless.”
and again, The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, how futile they are.
21 So don't boast about people. For you have everything,
So let no one make boast in men. For all things are yours;
22 whether it's Paul or Apollos or Peter—or the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future. You have everything—
Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present or things to come; all things are yours;
23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
