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Listen to 1 Corinthians 3
31-4But for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I’ll nurse you since you don’t seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything’s going your way? When one of you says, “I’m on Paul’s side,” and another says, “I’m for Apollos,” aren’t you being totally childish?
5-9Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working.
9-15Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely.
16-17You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple.
18-20Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being relevant. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture,
He exposes the hype of the hipsters.
The Master sees through the smoke screens
of the know-it-alls.
21-23I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.
* * *
Immaturity and Self-deception
3So, brothers and sisters,[a] I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh,[b] as infants in Christ. 2I fed you milk,[c] not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, 3for you are still influenced by the flesh.[d] For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people?[e] 4For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?[f]
5What 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.[g] 6I planted,[h] Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. 7So neither the one who plants counts for anything,[i] nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters work as one,[j] but each will receive his reward according to his work. 9We are coworkers belonging to God.[k] You are God’s field, God’s building. 10According 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. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than what is being laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,[l] 13each builder’s[m] work will be plainly seen, for the Day[n] will make it clear, because it will be revealed by fire. And the fire[o] will test what kind of work each has done. 14If what someone has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15If someone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss.[p] He himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
16Do you not know that you are God’s temple[q] and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, which is what you are.
18Guard against self-deception, each of you.[r] If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise. 19For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”[s] 20And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[t] 21So then, no more boasting about mere mortals![u] For everything belongs to you, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[v] or the world or life or death or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 3:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
- 1 Corinthians 3:1 tn Grk “fleshly [people]”; the Greek term here is σαρκινός (BDAG 914 s.v. 1).
- 1 Corinthians 3:2 sn Milk refers figuratively to basic or elementary Christian teaching. Paul’s point was that the Corinthian believers he was writing to here were not mature enough to receive more advanced teaching. This was not a problem at the time, when they were recent converts, but the problem now is that they are still not ready.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 tn Or “are still merely human”; Grk “fleshly.” Cf. BDAG 914 s.v. σαρκικός 2, “pert. to being human at a disappointing level of behavior or characteristics, (merely) human.” The same phrase occurs again later in this verse.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 tn Grk “and walking in accordance with man,” i.e., living like (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence; hence, “unregenerate people.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:4 tn Grk “are you not men,” i.e., (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence. Here Paul does not say “walking in accordance with” as in the previous verse; he actually states the Corinthians are this. However, this is almost certainly rhetorical hyperbole.
- 1 Corinthians 3:5 tn Grk “and to each as the Lord gave.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:6 sn The expression I planted is generally taken to mean that Paul founded the church at Corinth. Later Apollos had a significant ministry there (watered). See also v. 10.
- 1 Corinthians 3:7 tn Grk “is anything.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:8 tn Grk “are one.” The purpose of this phrase is to portray unified action on the part of ministers underneath God’s sovereign control. Although they are in fact individuals, they are used by God with a single purpose to accomplish his will in facilitating growth. This emphasis is brought out in the translation “work as one.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:9 tn Although 1 Cor 3:9 is frequently understood to mean, “we are coworkers with God,” such a view assumes that the genitive θεοῦ (theou) is associative because of its relationship to συνεργοί (sunergoi). However, not only is a genitive of association not required by the syntax (cf. ExSyn 130), but the context is decidedly against it: Paul and Apollos are insignificant compared to the God whom they serve (vv. 5-8).
- 1 Corinthians 3:12 sn The various materials described here, both valuable (gold, silver, precious stones) and worthless (wood, hay, or straw) refer to the quality of work built on the foundation, or possibly to the motivation of those doing the building. The materials themselves have been understood (1) as deeds or (2) as people (since ultimately the passage is addressing those who minister to others).
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 tn Grk “each one’s.” Here “builder’s” is employed in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 tn In an attempt to clarify the referent, some translations add “of Christ” after “Day” (so TEV); others specify this as “judgment day” (NLT) or “the day of judgment” (CEV).sn The Day refers to the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 1:8; 5:5) when each Christian worker will appear before Christ for evaluation of his ministry. Paul’s constant motivation was to be pleasing to the Lord in that day (2 Cor 5:9-10) and receive his commendation (1 Cor 4:5).
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 tc ‡ αὐτό (auto) is found at this point in v. 13 in a number of significant witnesses, including A B C P 33 1739 al. But P46 א D Ψ 0289 1881 M latt lack it. The pronoun could be a motivated reading, designed to intensify Paul’s statement. On the other hand, it could have been deleted because the article alone made the reference already clear. In this instance, the possibility of scribal addition seems more likely than scribal deletion, although a decision is difficult. NA28 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.sn It is unclear whether the phrase it will be revealed by fire describes the Day (subject of the previous clause) or each one’s work (subject of the clause before that).
- 1 Corinthians 3:15 tn The translation “[will] be punished” is given here by BDAG 428 s.v. ζημιόω 2. But the next clause says “he will be delivered” and so “suffering loss” is more likely to refer to the destruction of the “work” by fire or the loss of the reward that could have been gained.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 sn You are God’s temple refers here to the church, since the pronoun you is plural in the Greek text. (In 6:19 the same imagery is used in a different context to refer to the individual believer.)
- 1 Corinthians 3:18 tn Grk “let no one deceive himself.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 sn A quotation from Job 5:13.
- 1 Corinthians 3:20 sn A quotation from Ps 94:11.
- 1 Corinthians 3:21 tn Grk “so then, let no one boast in men.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:22 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
Sectarianism Is Carnal
3And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to (A)babes in Christ. 2I 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; 3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? 4For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
Watering, Working, Warning
5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but (D)ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6(E)I planted, (F)Apollos watered, (G)but God gave the increase. 7So then (H)neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8Now he who plants and he who waters are one, (I)and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9For (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. 11For no other foundation can anyone lay than (N)that which is laid, (O)which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each 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. 14If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15If 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? 17If 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. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, (T)“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20and again, (U)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21Therefore let no one boast in men. For (V)all things are yours: 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23And (W)you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 Lit. walking according to man
- 1 Corinthians 3:17 destroys
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 3:1 : 1 Cor. 2:6; Eph. 4:14; Heb. 5:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:2 : Heb. 5:12; 1 Pet. 2:2
- 1 Corinthians 3:2 : John 16:12
- 1 Corinthians 3:5 : Rom. 15:16; 2 Cor. 3:3, 6; 4:1; 5:18; 6:4; Eph. 3:7; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:12
- 1 Corinthians 3:6 : Acts 18:4; 1 Cor. 4:15; 9:1; 15:1; 2 Cor. 10:14
- 1 Corinthians 3:6 : Acts 18:24–27; 1 Cor. 1:12
- 1 Corinthians 3:6 : [2 Cor. 3:5]
- 1 Corinthians 3:7 : 2 Cor. 12:11; [Gal. 6:3]
- 1 Corinthians 3:8 : Ps. 62:12; Rom. 2:6
- 1 Corinthians 3:9 : Mark 16:20; Acts 15:4; 2 Cor. 6:1
- 1 Corinthians 3:9 : [1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:20–22]; Col. 2:7; Heb. 3:3, 4; [1 Pet. 2:5]
- 1 Corinthians 3:10 : Rom. 1:5
- 1 Corinthians 3:10 : 1 Cor. 4:15
- 1 Corinthians 3:11 : Is. 28:16; Matt. 16:18; 2 Cor. 11:4
- 1 Corinthians 3:11 : Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 : 1 Pet. 1:7
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 : Mal. 3:1–3; Luke 2:35
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 : Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21
- 1 Corinthians 3:18 : Prov. 3:7
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 : Job 5:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:20 : Ps. 94:11
- 1 Corinthians 3:21 : [2 Cor. 4:5]
- 1 Corinthians 3:23 : [Rom. 14:8]; 1 Cor. 15:23; 2 Cor. 10:7; [Gal. 3:29]
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New English Translation (NET)
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New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
