1 And the teaching I gave you, my brothers, was such as I was able to give, not to those who have the Spirit, but to those who are still in the flesh, even to children in Christ. 2 I gave you milk and not meat, because you were, then, unable to take it, and even now you are not able; 3 Because you are still in the flesh: for when there is envy and division among you, are you not still walking after the way of the flesh, even as natural men? 4 For when one says, I am of Paul; and another says, I am of Apollos; are you not talking like natural men? 5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? They are but servants who gave you the good news as God gave it to them. 6 I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God gave the increase. 7 So then the planter is nothing, and the waterer is nothing; but God who gives the increase. 8 Now the planter and the waterer are working for the same end: but they will have their separate rewards in the measure of their work. 9 For we are workers with God: you are God's planting, God's building. 10 In the measure of the grace given to me, I, as a wise master-builder, have put the base in position, and another goes on building on it. But let every man take care what he puts on it. 11 For there is no other base for the building but that which has been put down, which is Jesus Christ. 12 But on the base a man may put gold, silver, stones of great price, wood, dry grass, cut stems; 13 Every man's work will be made clear in that day, because it will be tested by fire; and the fire itself will make clear the quality of every man's work. 14 If any man's work comes through the test, he will have a reward. 15 If the fire puts an end to any man's work, it will be his loss: but he will get salvation himself, though as by fire. 16 Do you not see that you are God's holy house, and that the Spirit of God has his place in you? 17 If anyone makes the house of God unclean, God will put an end to him; for the house of God is holy, and you are his house. 18 Let no man have a false idea. If any man seems to himself to be wise among you, let him become foolish, so that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolish before God. As it is said in the holy Writings, He who takes the wise in their secret designs: 20 And again, The Lord has knowledge of the reasonings of the wise, that they are nothing. 21 So let no one take pride in men. For all things are yours; 22 Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 And you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
1 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English
1 Corinthians 3 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Apollos
An eloquent Alexandrian Jew, mighty in the Scriptures, who was taught more accurately by Priscilla and Aquila and then ministered in Achaia and at Corinth.
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:24; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:6
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Hebrews 5:13; 1 Corinthians 2:14–15; Ephesians 4:13–14; 1 Corinthians 14:20; 1 Corinthians 2:6
- 2 Hebrews 5:11–14; 1 Peter 2:2; John 16:12
- 3 James 3:16; Galatians 5:15; Titus 3:3; Ephesians 4:22–24; James 4:1–2
- 4 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 4:6
- 5 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Peter 4:10; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 11:23
- 6 1 Corinthians 3:9–10; Proverbs 11:25; 2 Corinthians 10:14–15; Acts 18:4–11; 1 Corinthians 9:1
- 7 John 15:5; Galatians 6:3; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Psalm 115:1; 1 Corinthians 13:2
- 8 Romans 2:6; Psalm 62:12; 2 John 8; John 4:36–38; Matthew 16:27
- 9 1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 2:20–22; 2 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Mark 16:20
- 10 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20; Romans 15:20; Daniel 12:3; Matthew 24:45
- 11 Ephesians 2:20; Isaiah 28:16; 2 Timothy 2:19; Acts 4:11–12; 1 Peter 2:6–8
- 12 2 Timothy 4:3; 2 Timothy 3:7; 2 Timothy 2:20; Colossians 2:18–23; Revelation 21:18
- 13 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 20:12; 1 Corinthians 3:14–15; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Zechariah 13:9
- 14 Matthew 25:21–23; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 24:45–47; Daniel 12:3
- 15 2 John 8; 1 Corinthians 3:12–13; Jude 23; Revelation 3:18; 1 Peter 4:18
- 16 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ezekiel 36:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 2:21–22
- 17 1 Corinthians 6:18–20; Ezekiel 43:12; Numbers 19:20; Ezekiel 7:22; Ezekiel 5:11
- 18 Proverbs 3:5; 1 Corinthians 1:18–21; Galatians 6:3; Isaiah 5:21; 1 Corinthians 8:1–2
- 19 Job 5:13; Psalm 141:10; 1 Corinthians 1:19–20; Romans 1:21–22; Isaiah 44:25
- 20 Psalm 94:11; Colossians 2:8; Romans 1:21; Job 11:11–12; Psalm 2:1
- 21 Romans 8:32; Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 9:23–24; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Revelation 21:7
- 22 Ephesians 4:11–12; Philippians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 9:19–22; 1 Corinthians 3:5–8
- 23 Galatians 3:29; 1 Corinthians 15:23; John 17:18; John 17:9–10; 1 Corinthians 11:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
After having overturned the philosophy which is from without, and cast down all its arrogance, he comes unto another argument. For it was likely that they would say, "If we were putting forth the opinions of Plato, or of Pythagoras, or any other of the philosophers, reason were thou shouldest draw out such a long discourse against us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
"For every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire;" and "whosoever shall defile the temple of God, him shall God defile."
For where was that charity building upon the "foundation" of humility, "which is Jesus Christ"? Or, when would these books teach me it?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Which Paul showing also in other ways, said, "So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." From what we have already, then, He urges us in this way: and from examples of other things, by saying, "Behold the fowls of the air." Thus, lest any should say, "we do …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
As then it is His part to plant and to water, so it is thine to bear fruit: it is God's to grant grace, but thine to receive and guard it.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)