1Brethren, I could not speak to you as to spiritual persons, but as to carnal ones—infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk and not with meat, because you were not yet ready. Indeed, you are not even ready now 3because you are still carnal. As long as there is jealousy, strife, and factions1744 among you, are you not carnal, walking according to human ways? 4When one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, if not servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? 6I planted, Apollos watered, but [it is] God [who] made it grow! 7And so, neither the one planting nor the one watering is anything: only God makes it grow. 8Now the one planting and the one watering are the same, but each will receive a personal reward according to his own labor. 9Indeed, we are God’s co-workers! You are God’s field,1745 God’s building. 10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let everyone be careful how he builds on it! 11As it is, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that has [already] been laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12But as one builds on that foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, 13each person’s work will be revealed. Certainly, the Day will make it manifest, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire will test everyone’s work.1746 14If what someone has built on the foundation remains, then a reward shall be received. 15[On the other hand], if someone’s work is burned, it will be lost, but that person shall be saved, as through fire.
16Do you not know that you1747 are a sanctuary of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him because God’s sanctuary is holy, and this is what you are! 18Let no one deceive himself: if anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19Indeed, the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God! As it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”1748 20And also, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”1749 21Therefore, let no one boast in human beings! All things are yours, 22whether Paul, or Apollos, or Kephas,1750 or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.1751
Stewards of God’s mysteries—Paul’s example
- CT omits “and factions”
- Or “farming”
- Compare Malachi 3:2
- “You” is plural in verses 16 and 17
- Job 5:13. NT agrees with MT against LXX.
- Psalm 94:11/93 LXX
- Peter
- Or “Christ is God’s”
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
