1 Corinthians 3

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World English Bible

1 Corinthians 3

1Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ.

2I fed you with milk, not with solid food, for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, you aren’t ready even now,

3for you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?

4For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?

5Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him?

6I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.

7So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

8Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s farming, God’s building.

10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it.

11For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,

13each man’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man’s work is.

14If any man’s work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward.

15If any man’s work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.

16Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, which you are.

18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”

20And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”

21Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

22whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours,

23and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

World English Bible (WEB) — Public Domain

Frequently Asked Questions

About 1 Corinthians Chapter 3

What is 1 Corinthians chapter 3 about?+
1 Corinthians chapter 3 contains 23 verses. It begins: "Brothers, I couldn’t speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babies in Christ." This chapter is part of the Bible Chapter by Chapter series, which walks through 1 Corinthians one chapter at a time using the World English Bible translation.
What translation is used for 1 Corinthians 3?+
This study uses the World English Bible (WEB), a modern public domain translation of the Holy Bible. It is freely available for use without copyright restrictions, making it ideal for teaching and study.
Is there a video Bible study for 1 Corinthians chapter 3?+
Yes — you can watch the full video study of 1 Corinthians chapter 3 on this page or on the Bible Chapter by Chapter YouTube channel at youtube.com/@BibleChapterByChapterStudy.
Where does 1 Corinthians 3 fit in the Bible?+
1 Corinthians is a New Testament book. Chapter 3 is part of the complete chapter-by-chapter study of 1 Corinthians. You can browse all chapters of 1 Corinthians or explore all 66 books of the Bible using the Books page.
Can I use 1 Corinthians 3 for small group Bible study?+
Yes — the Bible Chapter by Chapter series is designed for both individual and group study. Watch the video, read the full chapter text on this page, and discuss it together. Study guides and workbooks for selected books are also available on the Study Guides page.