1 Corinthians 3
1 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.
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.
2 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:
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,
3 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?
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.
4 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?
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]
5 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.
[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.
6 I planted and Apollos watered; but it was God who was, all the time, giving the increase.
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.
7 So that neither the planter nor the waterer is of any importance. God who gives the increase is all in all.
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].
8 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.
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.
9 Apollos and I are simply fellow workers for and with God, and you are God's field-- God's building.
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].
10 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.
[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].
11 For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ.
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.
12 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--
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.
13 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.
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].
14 If any one's work--the building which he has erected--stands the test, he will be rewarded.
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].
15 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.
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)
16 Do you not know that you are God's Sanctuary, and that the Spirit of God has His home within you?
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.
17 If any one is marring the Sanctuary of God, him will God mar; for the Sanctuary of God is holy, which you all are.
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].
18 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)
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)
19 This world's wisdom is "foolishness" in God's sight; for it is written, "He snares the wise with their own cunning."
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!
20 And again, "The Lord takes knowledge of the reasonings of the wise--how useless they are."
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.
21 Therefore let no one boast about his human teachers.
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!
22 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;
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.
23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
