1st Corinthians 3

 

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto (them that are perfect) spiritual (grown men), but as unto carnal, even as to (childish) babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat (or solid food): because until now you were not able to bear (or receive) it, neither are you now able.

3 Because you are still carnal (minded): for consider why there is envying, and strife, and divisions among you, is it not because you are carnal, and walk (and reason) as (natural) men?

4 For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal (in your thinking?

5 What then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers (of Christ) by whom you believed, just as the Lord has given (faith) to every man (that believed from Jesus Christ our Lord)?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase (in your hearts by which you were persuaded to believe).

7 So then neither is he that planted anything, nor the one that waters (to be considered as anything); but (it is) God (alone) that gives the increase (in your heart unto His life).

8 Now he that plants and he that waters are (united as) one (body in Christ): but every man will receive his own reward according to his own labor (from the persuasion in his heart).

9 For we are laborer’s (united) together with God (as One body): you are God's garden (which He desires to cultivate); you are God's building (His temple).

10 According to the grace of God which is given to me, as (a minister of Christ and) a wise master builder, I have (planted and) laid the foundation (of Christ), and another (waters and) builds there upon (that foundation). But let every man take heed (and consider) how he builds there upon.

11 Because there is no other foundation a man can lay but that which is laid, Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man builds upon this foundation (of Christ) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man's work will be made manifest: for the day (of the Lord) will declare it, because (in that day) it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will (prove and) try every man's work as to what sort it is.

14 If any man's work abide (and remain in Christ) which (work) he has built thereupon (the same foundation), he will receive a reward (from seeing the joy and glory of that work).

15 If any man's work will be burned (and destroyed), he will suffer loss (forfeiting and counting it as loss): but he himself will be saved (by abiding in Christ); yet so as by fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God (with the wisdom of men and the world, which can only serve them with destruction), his work will God destroy; because the temple of God is holy (set apart for the life and immortality of God which He determined for you from the beginning), which temple you are.

18 Let no man (think more highly of himself than he should and thereby) deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise (in his own eyes) in this world’s wisdom, let him become a fool (as if he knows nothing), so that he may be wise (in Christ, the wisdom and the power of God unto His life and Godlikeness).

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written (in Job), He takes the wise in their own craftiness (so that He might bring an end to their counsel).

20 And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (that they are nothing but empty promises that can produce absolutely nothing pertaining to the life He which has freely given us).

21 Therefore let no man glory in (the wisdom of) men. For all things (pertaining to His life and Godlikeness) are (already) yours (in Christ);

22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (is anything), or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come (nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us and has given us all things pertaining to life and Godlikeness); all are yours (in Him);

23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.