1 Corinthians 3:2

1 Corinthians 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
• New International Version (NIV)I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
• New King James Version (NKJV)I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:2

1However, brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as to spiritual people, but [only] as to worldly people [dominated by human nature], mere infants [in the new life] in Christ! I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly [controlled by ordinary impulses, the sinful capacity]. For as long as there is jealousy and strife and discord among you, are you not unspiritual, and are you not walking like ordinary men [unchanged by faith]? 4For when 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 people?

1 Corinthians 3:2 word by word

γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, οὐ βρῶμα· οὔπω γὰρ ἐδύνασθε, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἔτι νῦν δύνασθε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I have fedποτίζωpotizō · to waterG4222
• youσύsu · youG4771
• with milkγάλαgala · milkG1051
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notοὐou · noG3756
• with meatβρῶμαbrōma · foodG1033
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• hithertoοὔπωoupō · not yetG3768
• ye were not ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• ·ἀλλάalla · butG235
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:2

• Hebrews 5:12For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.
• 1 Peter 2:2like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment],
• John 16:12“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now.
• Hebrews 5:11Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2I have fed you with milk - I have instructed you in the elements of Christianity - in its simplest and easiest truths; because from the low state of your minds in religious knowledge, you were incapable of comprehending the higher truths of the Gospel: and in this state you will still continue. The apostle thus exposes to them the absurdity of their conduct in pretending to judge between preacher and preacher, while they had but a very partial…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2I have fed you with milk - Paul here continues the metaphor, which is derived from the custom of feeding infants with the lightest food. Milk here evidently denotes the more simple and elementary doctrines of Christianity - the doctrines of the new birth, of repentance, faith, etc. The same figure occurs in Hebrews 5:11-14; and also in Classical writers. See Wetstein. And not with meat - “Meat” here denotes the more sublime and mysterious doctrines of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Because the Corinthian Christians were not spiritually mature, Paul could not discuss the deeper truths of life in Christ, which are like solid food (see 1 Corinthians 2:6–7) meant for mature Christians. Instead, he had to focus on milk, the basic teachings of the good news about Jesus (compare Hebrews 5:12–14; 6:1–3; 1 Peter 2:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. (He 5:12). milk--the elementary "principles of the doctrine of Christ."Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:2

• Doctrines
• Milk
• Minister, Christian
• Neophytes
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Milk
• Plant
• Catechist; Catechumen
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Hitherto
• Paul, the Apostle
• Sanctification
• Spiritual Meat

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings