1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Expanded Bible

Problems in the Church

¹⁰ I ·beg [urge; appeal to] you, brothers and sisters, ·by the name [or by the authority; or as followers] of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be ·split into groups [divided into factions]. I beg that you be ·completely joined together [fully united; or made complete] by having the same ·kind of thinking [^Lmind] and the same ·purpose [intention; conviction]. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some people from Chloe’s ·family [household; ^Cthese could be family members, servants, or business agents] have ·told me quite plainly [reported to me] that there are ·quarrels [conflicts; rivalries] among you. ¹² This is what I mean: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another says, “I follow Apollos”; another says, “I follow ·Peter [^LCephas; ^CPeter’s name in Aramaic; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Mark 1:30; John 1:42]”; and another says, “I follow Christ.” ¹³ ·Christ has been divided up into different groups! [or Is Christ divided?] Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No! [^C“No!” is implied but not stated in the Greek.] ¹⁴ I thank God I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius ¹⁵ so that now no one can say you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (I also baptized the ·family [household] of Stephanas, but I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ [^LFor] Christ did not send me to baptize people but to preach the ·Good News [Gospel], and not using ·words of human wisdom [or eloquent language; clever speech] so that the cross of Christ [^Cthe message of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross] would not ·lose its power [or become meaningless; ^Lbe emptied].