1 Corinthians 3
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. As unto little ones in Christ.
And as for myself, brethren, I found it impossible to speak to you as spiritual men. It had to be as to worldlings--mere babes in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet. But neither indeed are you now able; for you are yet carnal.
I fed you with milk and not with solid food, since for this you were not yet strong enough. And even now you are not strong enough:
3 For, whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal, and walk according to man?
you are still unspiritual. For so long as jealousy and strife continue among you, can it be denied that you are unspiritual and are living and acting like mere men of the world?
4 For while one saith, I indeed am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollo; are you not men? What then is Apollo, and what is Paul?
For when some one says, "I belong to Paul," and another says, "I belong to Apollos," is not this the way men of the world speak?
5 The ministers of him whom you have believed; and to every one as the Lord hath given.
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are just God's servants, through whose efforts, and as the Lord granted power to each, you accepted the faith.
6 I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase.
I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase.
7 Therefore, neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all.
8 Now he that planteth, and he that watereth, ate one. And every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour.
Now in aim and purpose the planter and the waterer are one; and yet each will receive his own special reward, answering to his own special work.
9 For we are God’s coadjutors: you are God’s husbandry; you are God’s building.
Apollos and I are simply fellow workers for and with God, and you are God's field-- God's building.
10 According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
In discharge of the task which God graciously entrusted to me, I--like a competent master-builder--have laid a foundation, and others are building upon it. But let every one be careful how and what he builds.
11 For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus.
For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble:
And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw--
13 Every man’s work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.
the true character of each individual's work will become manifest. For the day of Christ will disclose it, because that day is soon to come upon us clothed in fire, and as for the quality of every one's work-- the fire is the thing which will test it.
14 If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any one's work--the building which he has erected--stands the test, he will be rewarded.
15 If any man’s work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.
If any one's work is burnt up, he will suffer the loss of it; yet he will himself be rescued, but only, as it were, by passing through the fire.
16 Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Do you not know that you are God's Sanctuary, and that the Spirit of God has His home within you?
17 But if any man violate the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which you are.
If any one is marring the Sanctuary of God, him will God mar; for the Sanctuary of God is holy, which you all are.
18 Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. (aiōn g165)
Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise. (aiōn g165)
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: I will catch the wise in their own craftiness.
This world's wisdom is "foolishness" in God's sight; for it is written, "He snares the wise with their own cunning."
20 And again: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
And again, "The Lord takes knowledge of the reasonings of the wise--how useless they are."
21 Let no man therefore glory in men.
Therefore let no one boast about his human teachers.
22 For all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to some; for all are yours;
For everything belongs to you--be it Paul or Apollos or Peter, the world or life or death, things present or future--everything belongs to you;
23 And you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
