Bible Reading Plan

1 Corinthians 3

Chapter 3

The Problem of Immaturity

¹ Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.^{(a) 2} I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³ because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy^(b) and strife^[a](c) among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers?^{[b] 4} For whenever someone says, "I'm with Paul," and another, "I'm with Apollos,"^(d) are you not unspiritual people?^[c][d]

The Role of God's Servants

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. ⁶ I planted,^(e) Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God's coworkers.^[e] You are God's field, God's building.^{(f) 10} According to God's grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation^(g) than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver,^(h) costly stones,⁽ⁱ⁾ wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one's work will become obvious, for the day^[f] will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire;^(j) the fire will test the quality of each one's work.^{(k) 14} If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone's work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved;^(l) yet it will be like an escape through fire.^[g](m)

¹⁶ Don't you yourselves know that you are God's sanctuary⁽ⁿ⁾ and that the Spirit of God lives in you?^{(o) 17} If anyone destroys God's sanctuary, God will destroy him;^(p) for God's sanctuary is holy,^(q) and that is what you are.

The Folly of Human Wisdom

¹⁸ No one should deceive^(r) himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age,^(s) he must become foolish^(t) so that he can become wise.^{(u) 19} For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(v) with God, since it is written:^(w) He catches the wise in their craftiness ;^{(x)[h] 20} and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings ^(y) of the wise are meaningless. ^{(z)[i] 21} So no one should boast in human leaders, for everything is yours^(aa)— ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas^(ab) or the world or life^(ac) or death^(ad) or things present or things to come^(ae)—everything is yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ,^(af) and Christ belongs to God.