1 Korinthierbrevet 3

1 Och jag kunde icke tala till eder, mina bröder, såsom till andliga människor, utan måste tala såsom till människor av köttslig natur, såsom till dem som ännu äro barn i Kristus.

My fellow believers, [when I was with you previously], I was not able to teach you as [I would teach people who are controlled by the Holy] Spirit {[whom the Holy] Spirit [controls]}. Instead, [I had to teach you as I would teach] people whom their self-directed nature controls. [I taught very simple concepts to you who had recently believed] in Christ, [as a parent would speak very simple words] to a baby.

2 Mjölk gav jag eder att dricka; fast föda gav jag eder icke, ty det fördrogen I då ännu icke. Ja, icke ens nu fördragen I det,

I did not [teach] you [things that were difficult for you to understand, just like a woman does not] give [her baby] solid food [that the baby cannot chew and digest]. [And just like a woman] ([gives her baby milk/breast-feeds her baby]), [I taught you simple spiritual concepts], because at that time you were not able to understand difficult things. And you are still not able to understand difficult concepts,

3 eftersom I ännu haven ett köttsligt sinne. Ty om avund och kiv finnes bland eder, haven I icke då ett köttsligt sinne, och vandren I icke då på vanligt människosätt?

because you are still controlled by your self-directed nature. Some of you are jealous and quarreling. (That shows that your self-directed nature is controlling you!/Does not that prove your self-directed nature is controlling you?) [RHQ] It shows that [you are acting like] unbelievers act.

4 När den ene säger: "Jag håller mig till Paulus" och den andre: "Jag håller mig till Apollos", ären I icke då lika hopen av människor?

By some of you saying, “I am [loyal to] Paul,” and others saying, “I am [loyal to] Apollos,” (you show that [you are acting like] unbelievers./does not it show that [you are acting like] unbelievers?) [RHQ]

5 Vad är då Apollos? Vad är Paulus? Allenast tjänare, genom vilka I haven kommit till tro; och de äro det i mån av vad Herren har beskärt åt var och en av dem.

[So what you really ought to think about] Apollos and me [RHQ] is that we(dl) are merely men who serve God. As a result of our [telling you the message about Christ], you trusted in him. Both of us [(dl)] are merely doing the work that the Lord appointed us to do.

6 Jag planterade, Apollos vattnade, men Gud gav växten.

I was [the first one who preached God’s message to you. I was like] [MET] someone who plants seeds. [Later], Apollos [taught you more of God’s message. That was like] [MET] someone who waters plants [after they start to grow]. But it is God who [enables people to grow spiritually, just like he is the one who] causes [plants] to grow.

7 Alltså kommer det icke an på den som planterar, ej heller på den som vattnar, utan på Gud, som giver växten.

So [the person who first preaches God’s message to people is not important, and the person who later teaches people more of God’s message is not important, just like] [MET] it is not the person who plants [the seeds] or the person who waters [the plants] who is important. Instead, it is God, who causes plants to grow [and who causes people to grow spiritually, who is important].

8 Den som planterar och den som vattnar -- den ene är såsom den andre, dock så, att var och en skall få sin särskilda lön efter sitt särskilda arbete.

The person [who first preaches God’s message to people and the one who later teaches them more of God’s message] [MET] both (are [trying to reach the] same [goal]/have the same [purpose]). And [God] will reward each of them according to how they served him.

9 Ty vi äro Guds medarbetare; I ären ett Guds åkerfält, en Guds byggnad.

Remember that Apollos and I are both working together for God. [You do not belong to us]. Just like a field [belongs to its owner, not to those who work in it], you belong to God, [not to us who work for him]. 1 Corinthians 3:9b-15 Also, a house belongs to its owner. [It does not belong to the man who built it. Similarly, God is the one to whom you belong].

10 Efter den Guds nåd som blev mig given lade jag grunden såsom en förfaren byggmästare, och en annan bygger nu vidare därpå. Men var och en må se till, huru han bygger därpå.

[Just like] a skilled person puts a foundation in the ground [before he builds a house], as a result of God kindly helping me [MET], [I was the first one who declared the message about Christ to you. And, just like] others build a house on its foundation, there were [others who later taught you more about Christ]. But [just like each person who builds a house] must be careful about what materials he uses to build it [MET], each person [who teaches God’s truth must be careful about what he teaches].

11 Ty en annan grund kan ingen lägga, än den som är lagd, nämligen Jesus Kristus;

Just like people can put in [only] one foundation [for a house] [MET], [there is only one message that we can give to people. That message is about] Jesus Christ.

12 men om någon bygger på den grunden med guld, silver och dyrbara stenar eller med trä, hö och strå,

Furthermore, people can build a house on its foundation [with materials that are valuable and do not burn easily, such as] gold, silver, and expensive jewels. Or they could build a house with [materials that are not valuable and that burn easily, such as] wood, hay, and straw.

13 så skall det en gång visa sig huru det är med vars och ens verk. "Den dagen" skall göra det kunnigt; ty den skall uppenbaras i eld, och hurudant vars och ens verk är, det skall elden pröva.

Later it will become clear/evident what kind of material they used to build the house. [Similarly, when people teach others God’s truth], it will later become clear [what kind of things they taught]. [God] will make that clear/evident at the time [when he judges us] [MTY].

14 Om det byggnadsverk, som någon har uppfört på den grunden, bliver beståndande, så skall han undfå lön;

When a fire [starts burning a house], it becomes clear whether the builders used [materials in their] work [that will burn, or materials that will not burn]. Similarly [MET], when God judges us, it will be clear whether we taught others things that were long-lasting and valuable or not. If [the materials that are used to] build a house [are materials that] do not burn, the builder will receive a reward [MET]. [Similarly, if we have taught others things that are valuable and long-lasting, God will give us a reward].

15 men om hans verk brännes upp, så skall han gå miste om lönen. Själv skall han dock bliva frälst, men såsom igenom eld.

If [the things that we have taught] are not valuable and long-lasting [MET], [we will not get a reward]. We will be saved {[God] will save us} [from hell], but [that is all that we will get. We will be like a man who] escapes from a fire [without saving any of his possessions]. (questioned)

16 Veten I icke att I ären ett Guds tempel och att Guds Ande bor i eder?

You need to remember that God [is present among] you [(pl) as he was present in the] Temple [in Jerusalem]. [RHQ] God’s Spirit lives within you.

17 Om nu någon fördärvar Guds tempel, så skall Gud fördärva honom; ty Guds tempel är heligt, och det templet ären I.

So, [just like] God will destroy anyone who tries to destroy his Temple, [he will destroy anyone who destroys the unity of a congregation. He will do that] because [he has set] you, [his people, apart for himself, just like he set] his Temple [apart for himself].

18 Ingen bedrage sig själv. Om någon bland eder menar sig vara vis genom denna tidsålders visdom, så blive han en dåre, för att han skall kunna bliva vis. (aiōn g165)

Some among you think that you are wise because unbelievers thought you were wise previously. Stop deceiving yourselves. [If you really want to be wise, by accepting what God considers to be wise] you should [be willing to let unbelievers consider that you are] foolish [IRO]. (aiōn g165)

19 Ty denna världens visdom är dårskap inför Gud. Det är ju skrivet: "Han fångar de visa i deras klokskap";

You should do that because things that unbelievers [consider to be] [IRO] wise, God considers to be foolish. [We can learn from] the Scriptures [what God says about] that: Those who think that they are [IRO] wise, he messes up their plans by the mistakes they make!

20 så ock: "Herren känner de visas tankar, han vet att de äro fåfängliga."

And [we can learn from] these words of Scripture, The Lord considers as useless the thoughts of [humans who think that they are] [IRO] wise.

21 Så berömme sig då ingen av människor. Allt hör ju eder till;

So, stop boasting about [how good one Christian leader is or how good another Christian leader is]. All [of us(exc) exist as leaders only to help] you!

22 det må vara Paulus eller Apollos eller Cefas eller hela världen, det må vara liv eller död, vad som nu är, eller vad som skall komma, alltsammans hör eder till.

Specifically, do not boast about me, or about Apollos, or about Peter! Everything in the world exists to [benefit] you [believers]. Whether you live or whether you die, the things that are happening now or the things that will happen in the future, they are all to benefit you.

23 Men I hören Kristus till, och Kristus hör Gud till.

[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.