Sectarianism Is Carnal

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to (A)babes in Christ. I fed you with (B)milk and not with solid food; (C)for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but (D)ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? (E)I planted, (F)Apollos watered, (G)but God gave the increase. So then (H)neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, (I)and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For (J)we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are (K)God’s building. 10 (L)According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid (M)the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than (N)that which is laid, (O)which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day (P)will declare it, because (Q)it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

16 (R)Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone [b]defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Avoid Worldly Wisdom

18 (S)Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, (T)“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, (U)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For (V)all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And (W)you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 3:3 Lit. walking according to man
  2. 1 Corinthians 3:17 destroys

Sobre las divisiones en la iglesia

Yo, hermanos, no pude dirigirme a vosotros como a espirituales, sino como a inmaduros,[a] apenas niños en Cristo. Os di leche porque no podíais asimilar alimento sólido, ni podéis todavía, pues aún sois inmaduros. Mientras haya entre vosotros celos y contiendas, ¿no seréis inmaduros? ¿Acaso no os estáis comportando según criterios meramente humanos? Cuando uno afirma: «Yo sigo a Pablo», y otro: «Yo sigo a Apolos», ¿no es porque estáis actuando con criterios humanos?[b]

Después de todo, ¿qué es Apolos? ¿Y qué es Pablo? Nada más que servidores por medio de los cuales vosotros llegasteis a creer, según lo que el Señor le asignó a cada uno. Yo sembré, Apolos regó, pero Dios ha dado el crecimiento. Así que no cuenta ni el que siembra ni el que riega, sino solo Dios, quien es el que hace crecer. El que siembra y el que riega están al mismo nivel, aunque cada uno será recompensado según su propio trabajo. En efecto, nosotros somos colaboradores al servicio de Dios; y vosotros sois el campo de cultivo de Dios, sois el edificio de Dios.

10 Según la gracia que Dios me ha dado, yo, como maestro constructor, eché los cimientos, y otro construye sobre ellos. Pero cada uno tenga cuidado de cómo construye, 11 porque nadie puede poner un fundamento diferente del que ya está puesto, que es Jesucristo. 12 Si alguien construye sobre este fundamento, ya sea con oro, plata y piedras preciosas, o con madera, heno y paja, 13 su obra se mostrará tal cual es, pues el día del juicio la dejará al descubierto. El fuego la dará a conocer, y pondrá a prueba la calidad del trabajo de cada uno. 14 Si lo que alguien ha construido permanece, recibirá su recompensa, 15 pero, si su obra es consumida por las llamas, él sufrirá pérdida. Será salvo, pero como quien pasa por el fuego.

16 ¿No sabéis que sois templo de Dios y que el Espíritu de Dios habita en vosotros? 17 Si alguno destruye el templo de Dios, él mismo será destruido por Dios; porque el templo de Dios es sagrado, y vosotros sois ese templo.

18 Que nadie se engañe. Si alguno de vosotros se cree sabio según las normas de esta época, hágase ignorante para llegar así a ser sabio. 19 Porque a los ojos de Dios la sabiduría de este mundo es locura. Como está escrito: «Él atrapa a los sabios en su propia astucia»;[c] 20 y también dice: «El Señor conoce los pensamientos de los sabios y sabe que son absurdos».[d] 21 Por lo tanto, ¡que nadie base su orgullo en el hombre! Al fin y al cabo, todo es vuestro, 22 ya sea Pablo, o Apolos, o Cefas, o el universo, o la vida, o la muerte, o lo presente o lo por venir; todo es vuestro, 23 y vosotros sois de Cristo, y Cristo es de Dios.

Footnotes

  1. 3:1 inmaduros. Lit. carnales; también en v. 3.
  2. 3:4 ¿no es … humanos? Lit. ¿no sois vosotros hombres?
  3. 3:19 Job 5:13
  4. 3:20 Sal 94:11

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

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

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;

22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;

23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.