1 Corinthians

The first epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, chapter 3, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 3 New English Translation

Immaturity and Self-deception

   1 So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? 4 For whenever someone says, "I am with Paul, " or "I am with Apollos, " are you not merely human?
   5 What is Apollos, really? Or what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, and each of us in the ministry the LORD gave us. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. 7 So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work as one, but each will receive his reward according to his work. 9 We are coworkers belonging to God. You are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each builder's work will be plainly seen, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire will test what kind of work each has done. 14 If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If someone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
   16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If someone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, which is what you are.
   18 Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness." 20 And again, "The LORD knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21 So then, no more boasting about mere mortals! For everything belongs to you, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

King James Version

   1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
   2 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.
   3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
   4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
   5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
   6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
   7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
   8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
   9 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.