1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. 2 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. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, [ye are] God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 20 And again, The Lord knoweth 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, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ [is] God’s.
1 Corinthians · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
1 Corinthians 3 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
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)