1 Corinthians 1:10-17

New International Reader's Version

Taking Sides in the Church

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, I make my appeal to you. I do this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask that all of you agree with one another in what you say. I ask that you don’t take sides. I ask that you are in complete agreement in all that you think. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, I have been told you are arguing with one another. Some people from Chloe’s house have told me this. ¹² Here is what I mean. One of you says, “I follow Paul.” Another says, “I follow Apollos.” Another says, “I follow Peter.” And still another says, “I follow Christ.”

¹³ Does Christ take sides? Did Paul die on the cross for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I didn’t baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. ¹⁵ No one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ It’s true that I also baptized those who live in the house of Stephanas. Besides that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else. ¹⁷ Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to preach the good news. He commanded me not to preach with wisdom and fancy words. That would take all the power away from the cross of Christ.