Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians

Chapter 3

Milk is fit for children, 1, 2. Strife and division, arguments of a fleshly mind, 3-6. He who plants and he who waters are nothing, 7, 8. The ministers are God's fellow workers, 9, 10. Christ is the only foundation, 11-15. Men are the temples of God, which must be kept holy, 16-18. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, 19-23.

1 And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babies in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk and not with solid food. For until now you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able, 3 Because you are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you envying, strife, and divisions, are you not carnal and walk as men? 4 For while one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered, but God has given the increase. 7 So then, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are laborers together with God. You are God's farming. You are God's building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given to me, I have laid the foundation like a wise master-builder, and another builds upon it. But let every man take heed how he builds upon it. 11 For no man can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds upon this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, 13 Every man's work will be made manifest. For the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will try every man's work, of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abides which he has built upon it, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, but in the manner as by fire.

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool so that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He takes the wise in their own craftiness," 20 And again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." 21 Therefore, let no man glory in men. For all things are yours, 22 Whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present, or things to come. All are yours, 23 And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - 1st Corinthians, Chapter 3[➚]

Notes

[v.11] - Reference, Colossians 2:8.

[v.16] - Reference, 1st Corinthians 6:19; 2nd Corinthians 6:16.

[v.19] - Quoting Job 5:13.

[v.20] - Quoting Psalm 94:11 (LXX—paraphrased).

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