1 Corinthians 3
Expanded Bible
Following People Is Wrong
3 Brothers and sisters, in the past I could not talk to you as I talk to ·spiritual people [or people who have the Spirit]. I had to talk to you as I would to ·people without the Spirit [unspiritual/carnal/fleshly people]—·babies [infants] in Christ. 2 ·The teaching I gave you was like milk [L I gave you milk to drink], not solid food, because you were not yet able to take solid food [C the comparison is between basic and advanced teaching]. And even now you are not ready. 3 You are still ·not spiritual [carnal; fleshly; living by your sinful nature], because there is ·jealousy [envy] and ·quarreling [conflict; rivalry] among you, and this shows that you are ·not spiritual [carnal; fleshly; living by your sinful nature]. You are ·acting [living; L walking] ·like people of the world [or like ordinary/unsaved people; or on a merely human level; L according to man]. 4 One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” and another says, “I belong to Apollos.” When you say things like this, ·you are [L are you not…?] ·acting like people of the world [or living on a merely human level; L people; human beings].
5 ·Is Apollos important? No! [L What, then, is Apollos?] ·Is Paul important? No! [L And what is Paul?] We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work the Lord gave us to do. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow. 7 So the one who plants is not ·important [L anything], and the one who waters is not ·important [L anything], but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters ·have the same purpose [or are equal; L are one], and each will ·be rewarded [receive wages] for his own work. 9 We are ·God’s workers, working together [coworkers belonging to God; coworkers in God’s service]; you are God’s ·farm [field], God’s building.
10 ·Using [or Because of] the ·gift [grace] God gave me, I laid the foundation of that building like an ·expert [skilled; wise] builder. Others are building on that foundation, but ·all people [L each one] should be careful how they build on it. 11 The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down any other foundation. 12 But if ·people [anyone; someone] build on that foundation, using gold, silver, ·jewels [precious stones], wood, ·grass [or hay], or straw, 13 their work will be ·clearly seen [or shown for what it is], because the ·day of judgment [L day] will make it ·visible [clear; obvious]. That day will ·appear [or reveal it; expose it] with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work to show what sort of work it was. 14 If the ·building that has been put on the foundation [L work] still stands, the builder will get ·a reward [or wages]. 15 But if the ·building [L work] is burned up, the builder will ·suffer loss [or be fined; or be punished]. The builder will be saved, but it will be as one who escaped ·from a fire [L through fire].
16 Don’t ·you [you all; C the verb is plural] know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you [C just as God’s presence filled the tabernacle; Ex. 40:34–38]? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy ·and you are that temple [or and you are holy; L which is what you are].
18 Do not ·fool [deceive] yourselves. If you think you are wise in this ·world [age], you should become a fool so that you can become truly wise, 19 because the wisdom of this world is ·foolishness [folly] with God. [L For] It is written in the Scriptures, “He catches those who are wise in their own ·clever traps [craftiness; cunning; Job 5:13].” 20 ·It is also written in the Scriptures [L And again], “The Lord knows ·what wise people think [L the thoughts/reasoning/machinations of the wise]. He knows their thoughts are ·worthless [pointless; useless; futile; Ps. 94:11].” 21 So you should not ·brag [boast] about ·human leaders [L people]. All things belong to you: 22 Paul, Apollos, and ·Peter [L Cephas; C Peter’s name in Aramaic; see 1:12]; the world, life, death, the present, and the future—all these belong to you. 23 And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
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