1 Corinthians 3:1-23 - Divisiveness And Immaturity

¹ However, I could not speak to you, my brethren, as to the spiritual, or as to the dispassionate, but as to novices in christianity. ² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, nor have you yet sufficient strength. ³ for you are still subject to your passions. since envy, and strife, and divisions are among you, are you not actuated by the vices of the animal part? ⁴ while one cries I am Paul's disciple, and another, I am Apollo's, are ye not vicious?

⁵ who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye have received faith according to the divine gifts imparted to each of them? ⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. ⁷ so then, neither is he that planted any thing, nor he that watered: it is God only that gives the increase. ⁸ he that planteth, and he that watereth, have the same design: and each shall receive his proper reward, in proportion to his own labour. ⁹ For we are fellow labourers employed by God: you are his field, and his mansion. ¹⁰ according to the free gift of God bestowed upon me, I, as a skilful architect, have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. but let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. ¹¹ for no one can lay any other foundation, than what is laid, which is, that Jesus is the Messias. ¹² now if upon this foundation somebody builds gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: he that builds such work, ¹³ will be expos'd. for the time of tryal will show it: it shall be discovered by the fire, which will put each sort of work to the test. ¹⁴ if the work abide which somebody has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵ if that man's work should be burnt, he will suffer loss: but should he himself escape, it will be as out of the fire.

¹⁶ Don't you know, that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ if any man divide the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for you, who are the temple of God, are consecrated to him.

¹⁸ let no man deceive himself: if any among you pretends to worldly wisdom, let him commence fool, in order to be truly wise. ¹⁹ for the wisdom of this world is folly, in the eye of God: as it is written, "he surprizes the wise in all their artifices." ²⁰ and again, "the Lord knows, that the thoughts of the wise are vain." ²¹ therefore, let no one glory in men: for all are yours: ²² whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; ²³ all are yours; and you are Christ's; and Christ is God's.