3 My Christian friends, I could not teach you as I would teach people who have God's Spirit. I had to teach you as people who belong only to this world. You were like little children who could not understand the message about Christ very well. 2 I had to teach you things that were easy to understand, like a mother gives milk to a baby. You were not yet ready to receive proper food. And you are still not ready to receive God's complete message! 3 You still do what your human nature wants to do. You are jealous of each other, and you quarrel with each other. Yes! This shows that you do what your human nature wants to do. You live like people who do not know God. 4 Some of you say, ‘Paul is my leader.’ And other people say, ‘Apollos is my leader.’ When you speak like that, you are talking like people who belong to this world.
5 Is Apollos important? Is Paul important? No! We are God's servants. We told you God's good news and you believed it. Each of us is doing the job which the Lord has given to us. 6 When I told you God's good news, I was like someone who planted seeds. Then Apollos was like someone who gave water to the young plants. But it was God who caused everything to grow. 7 The person who plants the seeds is not important. The person who gives water to the plants is not important. The important person is God, because he causes everything to grow. 8 The person who plants and the person who gives water both have the same purpose. God will pay each person what is right for their work. 9 Apollos and I work together as God's servants. You are like God's field that we work in.
You are also like a building that belongs to God. 10 I am like a good builder. God has given that job to me and he has helped me to do it well. I was the person who built the foundation. Now other people are building on that foundation. [ a ] But each person must be careful how he builds. 11 God has already put Jesus Christ as the only foundation of this building. So nobody can put any other foundation there.
12 People may build on this foundation with gold, silver or valuable stones. Or they may build on it with wood, dry grass or leaves. 13 One day, God will show clearly how good each builder's work is. God will put each person's work into a fire on that great day. [ b ] The fire will show whether their work is good or bad. 14 If the fire does not destroy the work, then that builder will receive good things from God. 15 But if the fire destroys a builder's work, that person will lose everything. The person himself will be safe. But he will be like someone who has run through the fire to a safe place.
16 You surely know that you are like God's special house. As God's people, God's Spirit lives in you. 17 If anyone destroys God's special house, then God will destroy that person. And you are like that house. You belong to God in a special way.
18 Be careful! Do not think that you are better than you really are. Maybe you think that you are wise, like people today want to be wise. But if you want to become truly wise, be ready for other people to think that you are a fool. 19 People in this world think that some people are wise. But God thinks that those wise people are fools. It says in the Bible:
‘God causes the clever thoughts of wise people to confuse them.’ [ c ]
20 In another place, the Bible says:
‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of wise people have no value.’ [ d ]
21 Because of that, you should not be proud of any human leader. All leaders are there to serve you, as God's people. 22 Do not be proud of Paul, Apollos or Peter. We belong to you. All of this world, and life and death belong to you. The things of today and tomorrow belong to you. Everything belongs to you, 23 you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
3 Brothers and sisters, when I was there, I could not talk to you the way I talk to people who are led by the Spirit. I had to talk to you like ordinary people of the world. You were like babies in Christ. 2 And the teaching I gave you was like milk, not solid food. I did this because you were not ready for solid food. And even now you are not ready. 3 You are still not following the Spirit. You are jealous of each other, and you are always arguing with each other. This shows that you are still following your own selfish desires. You are acting like ordinary people of the world. 4 One of you says, “I follow Paul,” and someone else says, “I follow Apollos.” When you say things like that, you are acting like people of the world.
5 Is Apollos so important? Is Paul so important? We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do. 6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it. But God is the one who made the seed grow. 7 So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God is important, because he is the one who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose. And each one will be rewarded for his own work. 9 We are workers together for God, and you are like a farm that belongs to God.
And you are a house that belongs to God. 10 Like an expert builder I built the foundation of that house. I used the gift that God gave me to do this. Other people are building on that foundation. But everyone should be careful how they build. 11 The foundation that has already been built is Jesus Christ, and no one can build any other foundation. 12 People can build on that foundation using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw. 13 But the work that each person does will be clearly seen, because the Day will make it plain. That Day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work. 14 If the building they put on the foundation still stands, they will get their reward. 15 But if their building is burned up, they will suffer loss. They will be saved, but it will be like someone escaping from a fire.
16 You should know that you yourselves are God’s temple. [ a ] God’s Spirit lives in you. 17 If you destroy God’s temple, God will destroy you, because God’s temple is holy. You yourselves are God’s temple.
18 Don’t fool yourselves. Whoever thinks they are wise in this world should become a fool. That’s the only way they can be wise. 19 I say this because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He catches those who think they are wise in their own clever traps.” [ b ] 20 The Scriptures also say, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise. He knows that their thoughts are worth nothing.” [ c ] 21 So there is not a person on earth that any of you should be boasting about. Everything is yours: 22 Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, and the future—all these are yours. 23 And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
3 And I, brothers and sisters , could not speak to you as ( A ) spiritual people, but only as ( B ) fleshly, as to ( C ) infants in Christ. 2 I gave you ( D ) milk to drink, not solid food; for you ( E ) were not yet able to consume it . But even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is ( F ) jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking ( G ) like ordinary people? 4 For when ( H ) one person says, “I am [ a ] with Paul,” and another, “I am [ b ] with Apollos,” are you not ordinary ( I ) people?
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? ( J ) Servants through whom you believed, even ( K ) as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 ( L ) I planted, ( M ) Apollos watered, but ( N ) God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will ( O ) receive his own [ c ] reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s ( P ) fellow workers; you are God’s [ d ] ( Q ) field, God’s ( R ) building.
10 According to ( S ) the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder ( T ) I laid a foundation, and ( U ) another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay a ( V ) foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 ( W ) each one’s work will become evident; for ( X ) the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test [ e ] the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will ( Y ) receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only ( Z ) so as through fire.
16 ( AA ) Do you not know that ( AB ) you are a [ f ] temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys the [ g ] temple of God, God will destroy [ h ] that person; for the [ i ] temple of God is holy, [ j ] and that is what you are.
18 ( AC ) Take care that no one deceives himself. ( AD ) If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in ( AE ) this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For ( AF ) the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “ He is ( AG ) the one who catches the wise by their craftiness ”; 20 and again, “ ( AH ) The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are useless.” 21 So then, ( AI ) no one is to be boasting in people. For ( AJ ) all things belong to you, 22 ( AK ) whether Paul or Apollos or [ k ] Cephas, or the world or ( AL ) life or death, or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and ( AM ) you belong to Christ, and ( AN ) Christ belongs to God.
3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit ( A ) but as people who are still worldly ( B ) —mere infants ( C ) in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, ( D ) for you were not yet ready for it. ( E ) Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling ( F ) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” ( G ) are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? ( H ) And what is Paul? Only servants, ( I ) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, ( J ) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ( K ) 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; ( L ) you are God’s field, ( M ) God’s building. ( N )
10 By the grace God has given me, ( O ) I laid a foundation ( P ) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ( Q ) 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, ( R ) because the Day ( S ) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ( T ) 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ( U ) 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. ( V )
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple ( W ) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ( X ) 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise ( Y ) by the standards of this age, ( Z ) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness ( AA ) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” [ a ] ; ( AB ) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” [ b ] ( AC ) 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! ( AD ) All things are yours, ( AE ) 22 whether Paul or Apollos ( AF ) or Cephas [ c ] ( AG ) or the world or life or death or the present or the future ( AH ) —all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, ( AI ) and Christ is of God.
