1 Corinthians 3  Disciples’ Literal New Testament

But You Are Still Acting Like Infants By Dividing Over Paul And Apollos

3 And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to ones made-of-flesh^[a], as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not food, for you were not yet able. But not-even still now are you able, ³ for you are still fleshly^[b]. For where there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and walking in accordance with human thinking^[c]? ⁴ For whenever one says “I am of Paul”, and another “I am of Apollos”, are you not [mere] humans?

So What Are Apollos And Paul? Servants Planting And Watering Seed For God

⁵ Therefore, what is Apollos? And what is Paul?— servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing-growth. ⁷ So then neither is the one planting anything, nor the one watering, but God causing the growth. ⁸ And the one planting and the one watering are one^[d], but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We Are Workers In God’s Building. Be Careful How You Build On The Foundation

⁹ For we are God’s fellow-workers^[e]; you are God’s farm, God’s building. ¹⁰ I laid a foundation according-to^[f] the grace of God having been given to me as a wise master-builder, and another is building-upon it. But let each one be watching-out how he builds-upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay another foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² And if one builds gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw upon the foundation, ¹³ each one’s work will become evident. For the day will make it clear^[g], because it is revealed by fire. And the fire itself will test what-sort each one’s work is. ¹⁴ If one’s work which he built-upon it shall remain, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If one’s work shall be burned-up, he will suffer-loss^[h]. But he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. ¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and the Spirit of God is dwelling in you? ¹⁷ If anyone ruins^[i] the temple of God, God will ruin this one. For the temple of God is holy— which you are!

Don’t Be Deceived. The World’s Wisdom Is Foolishness To God

¹⁸ Let no one be deceiving himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish in order that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it has been written [in Job 5:13], “He is the One catching the wise in their craftiness^[j]”; ²⁰ and again [in Ps 94:11], “The Lord knows the thoughts^[k] of the wise, that they are futile”.

So Don’t Boast In People. All God’s Servants Belong To You

²¹ So then, let no one be boasting in people. For all things are yours— ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things coming— all things are yours. ²³ And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.