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.

Pea naʻe ʻikai teu faʻa lea kiate kimoutolu, ʻe kāinga, ʻo hangē ki he fakalaumālie, kae hangē ki he fakakakano, ʻio, ʻo hangē ko e kau valevale ʻia Kalaisi.

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,

Naʻaku fafangaʻaki ʻakimoutolu ʻae huʻahuhu, kae ʻikai ʻaki ʻae kakano; he naʻe ʻikai te mou faʻa tali ia, pea kuo hoko eni, ʻoku ʻikai foki te mou faʻa tali ia.

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.

He ʻoku mou kei fakakakano: he ʻoku ʻiate kimoutolu ʻae femehekaʻaki, mo e fakakikihi, mo e mavahevahe, ʻikai ʻoku mou fakakakano, pea felakaʻi ʻo fakatatau ki he tangata?

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]

Koeʻuhi ʻoku lolotonga ʻae pehē ʻe ha tokotaha, “ʻOku ʻo Paula au;” pea pehē ʻe ha tokotaha, “ʻOku ʻo ʻApolosi au;” ʻikai ʻoku mou fakakakano pe?

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.

Pea ko hai ai ʻa Paula, pea ko hai ai ʻa ʻApolosi, ka ko e ongo tamaioʻeiki naʻa mou tui ai, ʻio, ʻo taau mo ia naʻe foaki ʻe he ʻEiki ki he tangata taki taha.

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.

Naʻaku tō ʻeau, pea fakaviviku ʻe ʻApolosi; ka ko e ʻOtua naʻa ne foaki hono 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].

Ko ia ʻoku ʻikai ko ha meʻa ʻaia ʻoku tō, pe ko ia ʻoku fakaviviku; ka ko e ʻOtua ʻoku ne foaki hono 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.

Ko eni, ko ia ʻoku tō mo ia ʻoku fakaviviku ʻoku taha pe: pea ʻe taki taha maʻu ʻene totongi ʻaʻana ʻo fakatatau ki heʻene ngāue.

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 ko e kaunga ngāue ʻakimautolu mo e ʻOtua: ko e ngāue ʻae ʻOtua mo e fale ʻoe ʻOtua ʻakimoutolu.

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].

‌ʻO fakatatau mo e ʻofa ʻae ʻOtua kuo foaki kiate au, kuo u ʻai ʻae tuʻunga ʻo ngali mo e tufunga poto, pea ʻoku fokotuʻu ki ai ʻe ha tokotaha. Ka ke taki taha vakai pe ʻoku fēfeeʻi ʻene fokotuʻu ki ai.

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.

He ʻoku ʻikai ha taha te ne faʻa ʻai ha tuʻunga kehe, ka ko ia pe kuo ʻai, ʻaia ko Sisu Kalaisi.

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.

Pea kapau ʻoku fokotuʻu ʻe ha taha ki he tuʻunga ni, ha koula, pe siliva, pe ha ngaahi maka koloa, pe ko e ʻakau, pe ko e mohuku, pe ko e tefitoʻi kaho;

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].

‌ʻE fakahā ʻae ngāue ʻae kakai kotoa pē taki taha: koeʻuhi ʻe fakaʻilo ia ʻi he ʻaho, koeʻuhi ʻe fakahā ia ʻe he afi; pea ʻe ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻe he afi ʻae ngāue ʻae kakai kotoa pē pe ko e hā hono anga.

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].

Kapau ʻe tuʻumaʻu ʻae ngāue ʻaia kuo fokotuʻu ʻe ha taha, te ne maʻu ʻae totongi.

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)

Kapau ʻe vela ʻae ngāue ʻa ha taha, ʻe masiva ai ia: pea ʻe fakamoʻui pe ia; ka ʻe hangē ha hao mei he afi.

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.

‌ʻIkai ʻoku mou ʻilo ko e fale tapu ʻoe ʻOtua ʻakimoutolu, pea ʻoku nofoʻia ʻakimoutolu ʻe he Laumālie ʻoe ʻOtua?

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].

Kapau ʻe maumau ʻe ha taha ʻae faletapu ʻoe ʻOtua; ʻe maumau ia e he ʻOtua; he ko e fale tapu ʻoe ʻOtua ʻoku māʻoniʻoni, pea ko e fale tapu ko ia ʻakimoutolu.

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)

‌ʻOua naʻa kākaaʻi ha taha ʻe ia. Kapau ʻoku ai ha taha ʻiate kimoutolu ʻoku ongoongo ko e poto ia ʻi māmani, tuku ke lau ia ko e vale koeʻuhi kae lau ia ko e poto. (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!

He ko e poto ʻo māmani, ko e vale ia ki he ʻOtua. He kuo tohi, “ʻOku ne moʻua ʻae poto ʻi heʻenau fie poto.”

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.

Pea pehē foki, “ʻOku ʻilo ʻe he ʻEiki ʻae ngaahi mahalo ʻoe poto, ko e vaʻinga ia.”

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!

Ko ia ke ʻoua naʻa vikiviki ha taha ʻi he tangata. He ʻoku ʻamoutolu ʻae ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē;

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.

Pe ko Paula, pe ko ʻApolosi, pe ko Kifasi, pe ko e māmani, pe ko e moʻui, pe ko e mate, pe ko e ngaahi meʻa ʻi heni, pe ko e ngaahi meʻa ʻe haʻu; ʻoku ʻamoutolu kotoa pe;

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

Pea ʻoku ʻa Kalaisi ʻakimoutolu; pea ʻoku ʻoe ʻOtua ʻa Kalaisi.