1 Corintios 3
1 Hermanos, no podía hablaros como a espirituales, sino como a carnales, como a bebés en Cristo.
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 Os he alimentado con leche, no con alimentos sólidos, porque aún no estáis preparados. De hecho, no estáis preparados ni siquiera ahora,
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 porque todavía sois carnales. Porque en cuanto a los celos, las disputas y las facciones entre vosotros, ¿no sois carnales y no andáis por los caminos de los hombres?
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 Porque cuando uno dice: “Yo sigo a Pablo”, y otro: “Yo sigo a Apolos”, ¿no sois carnales?
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 ¿Quién es, pues, Apolos y quién Pablo, sino servidores por medio de los cuales creísteis, y cada uno según le dio el Señor?
[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 Yo planté. Apolos regó. Pero el crecimiento lo dio Dios.
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 Así que ni el que planta es algo, ni el que riega, sino Dios que da el crecimiento.
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 Ahora bien, el que planta y el que riega son lo mismo, pero cada uno recibirá su propia recompensa según su trabajo.
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 Porque nosotros somos colaboradores de Dios. Vosotros sois labradores de Dios, constructores de Dios.
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 Según la gracia de Dios que me fue concedida, como sabio maestro de obras puse un fundamento, y otro construye sobre él. Pero que cada uno tenga cuidado de cómo construye sobre él.
[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 Porque nadie puede poner otro fundamento que el que está puesto, que es Jesucristo.
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 Pero si alguien construye sobre el fundamento con oro, plata, piedras preciosas, madera, heno o paja,
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 la obra de cada uno será revelada. Porque el Día lo declarará, porque se revela en el fuego; y el fuego mismo probará qué clase de obra es la de cada uno.
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 Si la obra de algún hombre permanece lo que construyó, recibirá una recompensa.
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 Si la obra de alguno se quema, sufrirá pérdida, pero él mismo se salvará, pero como a través del fuego.
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 ¿No saben que ustedes son el templo de Dios y que el Espíritu de Dios vive en ustedes?
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 Si alguien destruye el templo de Dios, Dios lo destruirá a él, porque el templo de Dios, que ustedes son, es santo.
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 Que nadie se engañe a sí mismo. Si alguno se cree sabio entre vosotros en este mundo, que se haga tonto para llegar a ser sabio. (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 Porque la sabiduría de este mundo es una tontería para Dios. Porque está escrito: “Él ha tomado a los sabios en su astucia”.
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 Y también: “El Señor conoce el razonamiento de los sabios, que es inútil”.
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 Por tanto, que nadie se jacte en los hombres. Porque todas las cosas son vuestras,
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 ya sea Pablo, o Apolos, o Cefas, o el mundo, o la vida, o la muerte, o las cosas presentes, o las cosas por venir. Todo es vuestro,
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 y vosotros sois de Cristo, y Cristo es de Dios.
[You should boast about] Christ, [not about your leaders, because] you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
