¹⁰ According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it,

¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

¹² But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

¹³ The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.

¹⁴ If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward.

¹⁵ But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.^(A)

¹⁶ Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, ^[a]collectively as a church and also individually]?

¹⁷ If anyone ^[b]does hurt to God’s temple or corrupts it [^[c]with false doctrines] or destroys it, God will ^[d]do hurt to him and bring him to the corruption of death and destroy him. For the temple of God is holy (sacred to Him) and that [temple] you [^[e]the believing church and its individual believers] are.

¹⁸ Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise.^(B)

¹⁹ For this world’s wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness;^(C)

²⁰ And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are.^(D)

²¹ So let no one exult proudly concerning men [boasting of having this or that man as a leader], for all things are yours,

²² Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and ^[f]threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future—all are yours,

²³ And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Psalm 149

¹ Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!

² Let Israel rejoice in Him, their Maker; let Zion’s children triumph and be joyful in their King!^(A)

³ Let them praise His name in chorus and choir and with the [single or group] dance; let them sing praises to Him with the tambourine and lyre!

⁴ For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation and adorn the wretched with victory.

⁵ Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds.

⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands,^(B)

⁷ To wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples,

⁸ To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron,

⁹ To execute upon them the judgment written. He [the Lord] is the honor of all His saints. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Psalm 150

¹ Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the heavens of His power!

² Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to the abundance of His greatness!^(C)

³ Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!

⁴ Praise Him with tambourine and [single or group] dance; praise Him with stringed and wind instruments or flutes!

⁵ Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)