1 Corinthians 3
1 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.
Na ko ahau, e oku teina, kihai i ahei te korero ki a koutou me taku ki te hunga i te Wairua, engari i te kikokiko, ano ki nga kohungahunga i roto i a te Karaiti.
2 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,
He waiu taku i whangai atu na ma koutou, ehara i te kai maro: kiano hoki i taea e koutou te kai maro, a kahore nei ano i taea e koutou inaianei:
3 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.
Kei te kikokiko tonu hoki koutou: i te mea kei a koutou tonu te hae, te totohe, te wehewehe, ehara oti koutou i te hunga i te kikokiko, e haere ana i runga i ta te tangata ritenga?
4 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]
I tetahi hoki ka ki nei, Ko ahau no Paora; me tetahi atu, Ko ahau no Aporo, ehara oti koutou i te hunga i te kikokiko?
5 [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.
Tena ko wai a Aporo? a ko wai a Paora? He minita i whakapono ai koutou; ki ia tangata i ta te Ariki i homai ai.
6 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.
Naku i whakato, na Aporo i whakamakuku; na te Atua ia i mea kia tupu.
7 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].
Heoi he kore noa iho te kaiwhakato, he kore noa iho te kaiwhakamakuku, engari te Atua nana nei i mea kia tupu.
8 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.
Na ko te kaiwhakato, ko te kaiwhakamakuku, kotahi tonu raua: otira ka rite ki tana ake mahi te utu e riro mai i tena, i tena o raua.
9 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].
He hoa mahi hoki matou no te Atua: he mara koutou na te Atua, he whare hanga na te Atua.
10 [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].
Kei te ritenga o te aroha noa o te Atua i homai nei ki ahau, kua whakatakotoria e ahau te tunga, he pera me ta te tohunga; a ko tetahi atu kei te hanga whare ki runga. Otira kia tupato ia tangata ki tana whare e hanga ai ki runga.
11 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.
E kore hoki tetahi tangata e ahei te whakatakoto i tetahi tunga ke atu i tera kua oti nei te whakatakoto, ara i a Ihu Karaiti.
12 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.
Engari ki te hanga tetahi ki runga ki te tunga he koura, he hiriwa, he kohatu utu nui, he rakau, he tarutaru, he otaota;
13 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].
Ka whakakitea te mahi a tetahi, a tetahi: ma te ra hoki e whakaatu, no te mea ka whakakitea e te kapura; a ma te kapura tonu e whakamatautau te mahi a tena, a tena, he pehea tona ahua.
14 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].
Ki te mau tonu te mahi a tetahi e hanga ai ki runga, ka riro i a ia he utu.
15 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)
Ki te wera te mahi a tetahi, ka maumauria tana: ko ia ia ka ora; otira me te mea ma roto i te ahi.
16 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.
Kahore oti koutou i matau, he whare tapu koutou no te Atua, a kei roto i a koutou te Wairua o te Atua e noho ana?
17 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].
Ki te whakangaromia e tetahi te whare tapu o te Atua, ka whakangaromia hoki ia e te Atua; he tapu hoki te whare o te Atua, a ko koutou taua whare.
18 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)
Kei hangarau tetahi ki a ia ano. Ki te mea tetahi he tangata mohio ia i roto i a koutou i tenei ao, tukua ia hei kuware kia tupu ai hei tangata whakaaro. (aiōn g165)
19 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!
Ki te Atua hoki he kuware noa nga whakaaro mohio o tenei ao: kua oti hoki te tuhituhi, Ka mau i a ia te hunga whakaaro i runga i to ratou tinihanga:
20 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.
Me tenei hoki, E matau ana te Ariki ki nga whakaaro o te hunga whakaaro, he tekateka noa.
21 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!
No reira kei whakamanamana tetahi ki te tangata: no koutou hoki nga mea katoa:
22 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.
Ahakoa a Paora, a Aporo, a Kipa, te ao, te ora, te mate ranei, nga mea onaianei, nga mea ranei e takoto mai nei, no koutou katoa;
23 [You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
A ko koutou no te Karaiti, ko te Karaiti no te Atua.
