1 Corinthians 3:5-23

Christian Standard Bible

The Role of God’s Servants

⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. ⁶ I planted,^(A) Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one,^[a] and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s coworkers.^[b] You are God’s field, God’s building.^(B)

¹⁰ According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder,^[c] and another builds on it. But each one is to be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation^(C) other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver,^(D) costly stones,^(E) wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire;^(F) the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.^{(G) 14} If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience^[d] loss, but he himself will be saved^(H)—but only as through fire.^(I)

¹⁶ Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple^(J) and that the Spirit of God lives in you?^{(K) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him;^(L) for God’s temple is holy,^(M) and that is what you are.

The Folly of Human Wisdom

¹⁸ Let no one deceive^(N) himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age,^(O) let him become a fool^(P) so that he can become wise.^{(Q) 19} For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(R) with God, since it is written,^(S) He catches the wise in their craftiness;^{[e](T) 20} and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings^(U) of the wise are futile.^{[f](V) 21} So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours^(W)— ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas^(X) or the world or life^(Y) or death^(Z) or things present or things to come^(AA)—everything is yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ,^(AB) and Christ belongs to God.