1 Corinthians 3:1

1 Corinthians 3:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

Context of 1 Corinthians 3:1

For my part, brothers and sisters, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 2I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, 3because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans?

1 Corinthians 3:1 word by word

Κἀγώ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην λαλῆσαι ὑμῖν ὡς πνευματικοῖς ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σαρκίνοις, ὡς νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• couldδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• notοὐou · noG3756
• speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• unto spiritualπνευματικόςpneumatikos · spiritualG4152
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• carnalσαρκικόςsarkikos · fleshlyG4559
• unto babesνήπιοςnēpios · childG3516
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 3:1

• 1 Corinthians 2:6We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
• Galatians 6:1Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.
• 1 Corinthians 3:3because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans?
• 1 Corinthians 2:14But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.
• Matthew 16:23Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”
• Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave under sin.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.
• Ephesians 4:13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
• 1 John 2:12I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 3:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual - This is a continuation of the preceding discourse. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15; (note), and 1 Corinthians 2:16; (note). But as unto carnal - , Persons under the influence of fleshly appetites; coveting and living for the things of this life. Babes in Christ - Just beginning to acquire some notion of the Christian religion, hut as yet very incapable of judging what is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And I, brethren - See 1 Corinthians 2:1. This is designed to meet an implied objection. He had said 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 that Christians were able to understand all things. Yet, they would recollect that he had not addressed them as such, but had confined himself to the more elementary parts of religion when he came among them. He had not entered upon the abstruse and difficult points of theology - the points of speculation in which the subtle Greeks so…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline The Corinthians reproved for their contentions. (1-4) The true servants of Christ can do nothing without him. (5-9) He is the only foundation, and every one should take heed what he builds thereon. (10-15) The churches of Christ ought to be kept pure, and to be humble. (16-17) And they should not glory in men, because ministers and all things else are theirs through Christ. (18-23) Verses 1-4 The most simple truths of the gospel, as to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The Corinthians did not act like the spiritual people Paul described in 1 Corinthians 2:15. Instead, they behaved like unbelievers drawn to worldly wisdom and values. as infants in Christ: Although they converted, their lives and thoughts did not show maturity in Christ or the transformative perspective of his Spirit.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231Co 3:1-23. Paul Could Not Speak to Them of Deep Spiritual Truths, as They Were Carnal, Contending for Their Several Teachers; These Are Nothing but Workers for God, to Whom They Must Give Account in the Day of Fiery Judgment. The Hearers Are God's Temple, Which They Must Not Defile by Contentions for Teachers, Who, as Well as All Things, Are Theirs, Being Christ's. 1. And I--that is, as the natural (animal) man cannot receive, so I also could not speak…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 3:1

• Babes
• Doctrines
• Minister, Christian
• Neophytes
• Strife
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Babe
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Foundation
• Plant
• Carnal
• Catechist; Catechumen
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Flesh

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