1 Corinthians 3

New King James Version

Sectarianism Is Carnal

3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritualpeoplebut as to carnal, as to^(A)babes in Christ.² I fed you with^(B)milk and not with solid food;^(C)for until now you were not ableto receive it,and even now you are still not able;³ for you are still carnal. For wherethere areenvy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and^[a]behaving likemeremen?⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “Iamof Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Watering, Working, Warning

⁵ Who then is Paul, and whoisApollos, 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.⁷ So then^(H)neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one,^(I)and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

⁹ For^(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.¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than^(N)that which is laid,^(O)which is Jesus Christ.¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundationwithgold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,¹³ each 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.¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built onitendures, he will receive a reward.¹⁵ If 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 andthatthe Spirit of God dwells in you?¹⁷ If anyone^[b]defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, whichtempleyou 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.¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,^(T)“He catches the wise in theirowncraftiness”;²⁰ and again,^(U)“TheLordknows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”²¹ Therefore let no one boast in men. For^(V)all things are yours:²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.²³ And^(W)youareChrist’s, and ChristisGod’s.