Read the Bible

Foundations for Living

¹ However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to ^(C1)spiritual people, but only as to ^(F1)(C2)worldly people dominated by human nature, mere ^(C3)infants in the new life in Christ!² I fed you with ^(C1)milk, not solid food; for you ^(C2)were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready.³ You are still ^(F1)worldly controlled by ordinary impulses, the sinful capacity. For as long as there is ^(C1)jealousy and strife and discord among you, are you not ^(F1)unspiritual, and are you not walking ^(C2)like ordinary men unchanged by faith?⁴ For when ^(C1)one of you says, "I am a disciple of Paul," and another, "I am a disciple of Apollos," are you not proving yourselves unchanged, just ordinary ^(C2)people?

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Just ^(C1)servants through whom you believed in Christ, even ^(C2)as the Lord appointed to each his task.^6 (C1)I planted, ^(C2)Apollos watered, but ^(C3)God all the while was causing the growth.⁷ So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but only God who causes the growth.⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one in importance and esteem, working toward the same purpose; but each will ^(C1)receive his own reward according to his own labor.⁹ For we are God's ^(C1)fellow workers His servants working together; you are God's ^(C2)cultivated field His garden, His vineyard, God's ^(C3)building. ^(VR1)

¹⁰ According to ^(C1)the remarkable grace of God which was given to me to prepare me for my task, like a skillful master builder ^(C2)I laid a foundation, and now ^(C3)another is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it,¹¹ for no one can lay a ^(C1)foundation other than the one which is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.¹² But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,^13 (C1)each one's work will be clearly shown for what it is; for ^(C2)the day of judgment will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person's work. ^(VR1)14 If any person's work which he has built on this foundation, that is, any outcome of his effort remains and survives this test, he will ^(C1)receive a reward.¹⁵ But if any person's work is burned up by the test, he will suffer the loss of his reward; yet he himself will be saved, but ^(C1)only as one who has barely escaped through fire. ^(VR1)

^16 (F1)(C1)Do you not know and understand that ^(C2)you the church are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells permanently in you collectively and individually?¹⁷ If anyone destroys the temple of God corrupting it with false doctrine, God will destroy the destroyer; for the temple of God is holy (sacred), and that is what you are.

^18 (C1)Let no one deceive himself. ^(C2)If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in ^(C3)this age, let him become a fool discarding his worldly pretensions and acknowledging his lack of wisdom, so that he may become truly wise. ^(VR1)19 For ^(C1)the wisdom of this world is foolishness (absurdity, stupidity) before God; for it is written in Scripture, "^(C2)He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE and CLEVER IN THEIR CRAFTINESS;" ^(VR1)20 and again, "^(C1)THE LORD KNOWS THE THOUGHTS of the humanly wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." ^(VR1)21 So ^(C1)let no one boast in men about their wisdom, or of having this or that one as a leader. For ^(C2)all things are yours,^22 (C1)whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter) or the world or ^(C2)life or death or things present or things to come; all things are yours,²³ and ^(C1)you belong to Christ; and ^(C2)Christ belongs to God.