1 Corinthians 3
3
The Church and Its Leaders
1Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t speak to you as people who live by the Holy Spirit. I had to speak to you as people who were still following the ways of the world. You aren’t growing as Christ wants you to. You are still like babies. 2The words I spoke to you were like milk, not like solid food. You weren’t ready for solid food yet. And you still aren’t ready for it. 3You are still following the ways of the world. Some of you are jealous. Some of you argue. So aren’t you following the ways of the world? Aren’t you acting like ordinary human beings? 4One of you says, “I follow Paul.” Another says, “I follow Apollos.” Aren’t you acting like ordinary human beings?
5After all, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? We are only people who serve. We helped you to believe. The Lord has given each of us our own work to do. 6I planted the seed. Apollos watered it. But God has been making it grow. 7So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the important one. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose. The Lord will give each of them a reward for their work. 9We work together to serve God. You are like God’s field. You are like his building.
10God has given me the grace to lay a foundation as a wise builder. Now someone else is building on it. But each one should build carefully. 11No one can lay any other foundation than what has already been laid. That foundation is Jesus Christ. 12A person may build on it using gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw. 13But each person’s work will be shown for what it is. On judgment day it will be brought to light. It will be put through fire. The fire will test how good each person’s work is. 14If the building doesn’t burn up, God will give the builder a reward for the work. 15If the building burns up, the builder will lose everything. The builder will be saved, but only like one escaping through the flames.
16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple? Don’t you know that God’s Spirit lives among you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. God’s temple is holy. And you all together are that temple.
18Don’t fool yourselves. Suppose some of you think you are wise by the standards of the world. Then you should become “fools” so that you can become wise. 19The wisdom of this world is foolish in God’s eyes. It is written, “God catches wise people in their own evil plans.” (Job 5:13) 20It is also written, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of wise people don’t amount to anything.” (Psalm 94:11) 21So no more bragging about human leaders! All things are yours. 22That means Paul or Apollos or Peter or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All are yours. 23You are joined to Christ and belong to him. And Christ is joined to God.
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1 Corinthians 3: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Corinthians 3
3
You Belong to Christ
1Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as people still influenced by your corrupt nature. You were infants in your faith in Christ. 2I gave you milk to drink. I didn’t give you solid food because you weren’t ready for it. Even now you aren’t ready for it 3because you’re still influenced by your corrupt nature.
When you are jealous and quarrel among yourselves, aren’t you influenced by your corrupt nature and living by human standards? 4When some of you say, “I follow Paul” and others say, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting like ⌞sinful⌟ humans? 5Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants who helped you come to faith. Each did what the Lord gave him to do. 6I planted, and Apollos watered, but God made it grow. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because ⌞only⌟ God makes it grow. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have the same goal, and each will receive a reward for his own work. 9We are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field.
You are God’s building. 10As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift #3:10 Or “grace.” that God gave me to lay the foundation ⌞for that building⌟. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it. 11After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. 12People may build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. 13The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done. 14If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15If his work is burned up, he will suffer ⌞the loss⌟. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire.
16Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him because God’s temple is holy. You are that holy temple!
18Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise. 19The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.” 20Again Scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are pointless.”
21So don’t brag about people. Everything belongs to you. 22Whether it is Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, present or future things, everything belongs to you. 23You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
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