1 Corinthians 3

Foundations for Living

1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to 1spiritual men, but as to 2men of flesh, as to 3infants in Christ. 2I gave you 4milk to drink, not solid food; for you 5were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3for you are still fleshly. For since there is 6jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking 78like mere men? 4For when 9one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere 10men?

5What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? 11Servants through whom you believed, even 12as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 613I planted, 14Apollos watered, but 15God was causing the growth. 7So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will 16receive his own 17reward according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s 18fellow workers; you are God’s 1920field, God’s 21building.

10According to 22the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder 23I laid a foundation, and 24another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11For no man can lay a 25foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, 26precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 1327each man’s work will become evident; for 28the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test 29the quality of each man’s work. 14If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will 30receive a reward. 15If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet 31so as through fire.

1632Do you not know that 33you are a 34temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17If any man destroys the 35temple of God, God will destroy him, for the 36temple of God is holy, and 37that is what you are.

1838Let no man deceive himself. 39If any man among you thinks that he is wise in 40this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19For 41the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is 42the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20and again, “43The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” 21So then 44let no one boast in men. For 45all things belong to you, 2246whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or 47life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23and 48you belong to Christ; and 49Christ belongs to God.