1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, my brethren, could not speak to you, as to spiritual persons, but as to carnal ones, even as to babes 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 have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for ye were not hitherto able to bear it, nor yet are ye even now 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 Because ye are still carnal: for while there is among you envy and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk as men?

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 when one saith, I am of Paul; and another, 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 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whose means ye embraced the faith, even as the Lord gave success to each of them?

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, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase.

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

7 So that 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 And he that planteth, and he that watereth, are as one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own 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 are fellow-laborers, the servants of God: and ye are the husbandry of God, ye are the building of God.

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 given to me, as a wise architect I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon: but let every one see to it how he buildeth thereon.

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 no one can lay any other foundation, but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ: and if any build upon this foundation gold,

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

12 silver, precious stones, or 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 made manifest. For the great day will shew it; because it will be discovered by fire, and the fire will prove 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 upon it, he shall receive a reward:

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

15 but if any man's work be burnt, he will be damaged; though he himself shall be saved, but, as it were out of 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 Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and 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 If any one destroy the temple of God, him will God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, and this temple are ye.

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: if any among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be truly 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, "He taketh 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 Therefore 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 future, 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 ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

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