1 Corinthians 3

Darby Translation

3 And *I*, brethren, have not been able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly; as to babes in Christ.

²I have given you milk to drink, not meat, for ye have not yet been able, nor indeed are ye yet able;

³for ye are yet carnal. For whereas [there are] among you emulation and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk according to man?

⁴For when one says, *I* am of Paul, and another, *I* of Apollos, are ye not men?

⁵Who then is Apollos, and who Paul? Ministering servants, through whom ye have believed, and as the Lord has given to each.

⁶*I* have planted; Apollos watered; but God has given the increase.

⁷So that neither the planter is anything, nor the waterer; but God the giver of the increase.

⁸But the planter and the waterer are one; but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

⁹For we are God's fellow-workmen; ye are God's husbandry, God's building.

¹⁰According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it. But let each see how he builds upon it.

¹¹For other foundation can no man lay besides that which [is] laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹²Now if any one build upon [this] foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,

¹³the work of each shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare [it], because it is revealed in fire; and the fire shall try the work of each what it is.

¹⁴If the work of any one which he has built upon [the foundation] shall abide, he shall receive a reward.

¹⁵If the work of any one shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss, but *he* shall be saved, but so as through [the] fire.

¹⁶Do ye not know that ye are [the] temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you?

¹⁷If any one corrupt the temple of God, *him* shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are *ye*.

¹⁸Let no one deceive himself: if any one thinks himself to be wise among you in this world, let him become foolish, that he may be wise.

¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He who takes the wise in their craftiness.

²⁰And again, [The] Lord knows the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.

²¹So that let no one boast in men; for all things are yours.

²²Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or [the] world, or life, or death, or things present, or things coming, all are yours;

²³and *ye* [are] Christ's, and Christ [is] God's.

1 Corinthians 3

New International Version

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(A) but as people who are still worldly^(B)—mere infants^(C) in Christ. ²I gave you milk, not solid food,^(D) for you were not yet ready for it.^(E) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(F) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(G) are you not mere human beings?

⁵What, after all, is Apollos?^(H) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(I) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed,^(J) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^(K) ⁹For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(L) you are God’s field,^(M) God’s building.^(N)

¹⁰By the grace God has given me,^(O) I laid a foundation^(P) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(Q) ¹²If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³their work will be shown for what it is,^(R) because the Day^(S) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^(T) ¹⁴If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^(U) ¹⁵If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(V)

¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(W) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^(X) ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(Y) by the standards of this age,^(Z) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(AA) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];^(AB) ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^[b]^(AC) ²¹So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(AD) All things are yours,^(AE) ²²whether Paul or Apollos^(AF) or Cephas^[c]^(AG) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(AH)—all are yours, ²³and you are of Christ,^(AI) and Christ is of God.