1Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 1Co 14:20; Heb 5:13; 1Pt 2:2

2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready,

3because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy Jms 3:14,16 and strife Other mss add and divisions Ti 3:9 among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers? Lit and walking according to man

4For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,” Ti 3:13 are you not unspiritual people? Other mss read are you not carnal Lit not just human

5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given.

6I planted, Ac 18:4-11; 1Co 4:15; 9:1; 15:1 Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

7So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

8Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9For we are God’s coworkers. Or are coworkers belonging to God You are God’s field, God’s building. 1Pt 2:5

10According 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.

11For no one can lay any other foundation Is 28:16; Rm 15:20; 2Co 10:16; 11:4; Gl 1:6-9 than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ.

12If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver, Jms 5:3 costly stones, Rv 17:4 wood, hay, or straw,

13each one’s work will become obvious, for the day The day of Christ’s judgment of believers will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; 2Th 1:8; 1Pt 1:7 the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12; Mt 16:27; 2Co 5:10; 1Pt 1:17

14If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

15If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; Mt 9:22; Ac 16:30; Eph 2:8 yet it will be like an escape through fire. Lit yet so as through fire Jd 23

16Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary Lk 1:21 and that the Spirit of God lives in you? Lv 26:11; Jms 4:5

17If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; Heb 6:8 for God’s sanctuary is holy, Ps 20:6; 1Co 7:14 and that is what you are.

18No one should deceive 2Co 11:3 himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, Lk 16:8 he must become foolish Mt 5:22 so that he can become wise. Is 5:21; Jr 8:8-9; Gl 6:3

19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness 1Co 1:18 with God, since it is written: Ac 15:15; Gl 4:22 He catches the wise in their craftiness; Jb 5:13; Lk 20:23 Jb 5:13

20and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings Mt 15:19; 1Tm 2:8 of the wise are meaningless. Ps 94:11 Ps 94:11

21So no one should boast in human leaders, for everything is yours Rm 8:32 —

22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas Jn 1:42 or the world or life 1Jn 5:12 or death Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10 or things present or things to come Rm 8:38 — everything is yours,

23and you belong to Christ, Nm 3:12 and Christ belongs to God.