1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, my Brethren, could not talk with you, as with spiritual persons, but as with the carnal, as with babes in Messiah.

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, and did not give you solid food: for ye were not then able to receive it; and even now, ye are not able.

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 ye are still in the flesh. For, as there are among you envying, and contention, and parties, are ye not carnal, and walking in the flesh?

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 of you saith, I am of Paul; and another saith, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

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 For, who is Paul, or who is Apollos, but the ministers by whom ye believed, each one as the Lord gave to him?

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 planted, and Apollos watered; but God produced the growth.

I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase.

7 Not therefore he that planted, is to be accounted of, nor he that watered, but God who produced the growth.

So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all.

8 And he that planted, and he that watered are on a par; each receiveth his reward, according to his labor.

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 labor with God: and ye are God's husbandry, and God's edifice.

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 which was given me, I laid the foundation like a wise architect; and another buildeth on it. But let each one see, how he buildeth on it.

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 any other foundation can no man lay, different from that which is laid, which is Jesus Messiah.

For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ.

12 And if any one buildeth on this foundation, either gold, or silver, or precious stones, or wood, or hay, or 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 the work of each will be exposed to view; for the day will expose it; because it is to be tested by fire; and the fire will disclose the work of each, 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 And that builder whose work shall endure, will receive his reward.

If any one's work--the building which he has erected--stands the test, he will be rewarded.

15 And he, whose work shall burn up, will suffer loss; yet himself will escape; but it will be, as from the 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 ye not, that ye 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 Whoever shall mar the temple of God, God will mar him: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye 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 one deceive himself. Whoever among you thinketh that he is 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 fatuity with God: for it is written, He catcheth 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 devices of the wise, that they are vain.

And again, "The Lord takes knowledge of the reasonings of the wise--how useless they are."

21 Wherefore, let no one glory in men: for all things are yours;

Therefore let no one boast about his human teachers.

22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all things 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 ye are Messiah's, and Messiah is God's.

and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.