Working Together for God
1 My friends, you are acting like the people of this world. That's why I could not speak to you as spiritual people. You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is concerned. 2 So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, 3 because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves you are not spiritual and you are acting like the people of this world.
4 Some of you say you follow me, and others claim to follow Apollos. Isn't this how ordinary people behave? 5 Apollos and I are merely servants who helped you to have faith. It was the Lord who made it all happen. 6 I planted the seeds, Apollos watered them, but God made them sprout and grow. 7 What matters isn't those who planted or watered, but God who made the plants grow. 8 The one who plants is just as important as the one who waters. And each one will be paid for what they do. 9 Apollos and I work together for God, and you are God's garden and God's building.
Only One Foundation
10 God treated me with undeserved grace and let me become an expert builder. I laid a foundation on which others have built. But we must each be careful how we build, 11 because Christ is the only foundation. 12-13 Whatever we build on this foundation will be tested by fire on the day of judgment. Then everyone will find out if we have used gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw. 14 We will be rewarded if our building is left standing. 15 But if it is destroyed by the fire, we will lose everything. Yet we ourselves will be saved, like someone escaping from flames.
16 All of you surely know you are God's temple and his Spirit lives in you. 17 Together you are God's holy temple, and God will destroy anyone who destroys his temple.
18 Don't fool yourselves! If any of you think you are wise in the things of this world, you will have to become foolish before you can be truly wise. 19 This is because God considers the wisdom of this world to be foolish. It is just as the Scriptures say, “God catches the wise when they try to outsmart him.” 20 The Scriptures also say, “The Lord knows that the plans made by wise people are useless.” 21-22 So stop bragging about what anyone has done. Paul and Apollos and Peter all belong to you. In fact, everything is yours, including the world, life, death, the present, and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
1 And I could not speake vnto you, brethren, as vnto spirituall men, but as vnto carnall, euen as vnto babes in Christ. 2 I gaue you milke to drinke, and not meat: for yee were not yet able to beare it, neither yet nowe are yee able. 3 For yee are yet carnall: for whereas there is among you enuying, and strife, and diuisions, are ye not carnall, and walke as men? 4 For when one sayeth, I am Pauls, and another, I am Apollos, are yee not carnall? 5 Who is Paul then? and who is Apollos, but the ministers by whome yee beleeued, and as the Lord gaue to euery man? 6 I haue planted, Apollos watred, but God gaue the increase. 7 So then, neither is hee that planteth any thing, neither hee that watreth, but God that giueth the increase. 8 And he that planteth, and he that watreth, are one, and euery man shall receiue his wages, according to his labour. 9 For we together are Gods labourers: yee are Gods husbandrie, and Gods building. 10 According to the grace of God giuen to mee, as a skilfull master builder, I haue laide the foundation, and another buildeth thereon: but let euery man take heede how he buildeth vpon it. 11 For other foundation can no man laie, then that which is laied, which is Iesus Christ. 12 And if any man builde on this foundation, golde, siluer, precious stones, timber, haye, or stubble, 13 Euery mans worke shalbe made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shalbe reueiled by the fire: and the fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is. 14 If any mans worke, that he hath built vpon, abide, he shall receiue wages. 15 If any mans worke burne, he shall lose, but he shalbe saued himselfe: neuerthelesse yet as it were by the fire. 16 Knowe ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man destroy the Temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the Temple of God is holy, which ye are. 18 Let no man deceiue himselfe: If any man among you seeme to be wise in this world, let him be a foole, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdome of this worlde is foolishnesse with God: for it is written, He catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse. 20 And againe, The Lord knoweth that the thoughtes of the wise be vaine. 21 Therefore let no man reioyce in men: for all things are yours. 22 Whether it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death: whether they be things present, or thinges to come, euen all are yours, 23 And ye Christes, and Christ Gods.