1 Corinthians 3

1 Corinthians 3:1

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

And I, brethren, howsoever I may be taxed and despised by some, as if I only spake unto you plain and vulgar things, must tell you that I purposely did so, that I might frame my speech to your apprehension: for I could not speak unto you, as to men already regenerate, but as to carnal men; novices in Christianity; babes in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:2

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat.

I did therefore, as was meet, feed you accordingly with the milk of the first principles of religion, not with the strong meat of harder and higher doctrines.

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

Ye, O ye converted Corinthians, and your whole Church, are as a large epistle of commendations, written in the testimony of our conscience which knows all our effectual labours among you, sent forth to all the world, in our behalf, well known and read of all men:

1 Corinthians 3:3

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not yet carnal, and walk as men?

For, howsoever ye may be well conceited of yourselves, the truth is, ye are yet carnal: whereof you shall be clearly convinced by your effects; for, while there are among you envyings, and strifes, and factious divisions, are ye not carnal? and carry yourselves, not as Christians, but as men?

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; &c.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be Christ’s epistle, written by our ministry: in that, both Christ is written in you by us, and that also Christ by our preaching hath written the blessed characters of his grace in you; not with ink, but with, &c.

1 Corinthians 3:4

And such trust have we through Christ to Godward.

And such trust and confidence have we, through Christ, in our God, that we are bold thus to boast of this work of God in you, and the efficacy of our ministry amongst you.

1 Corinthians 3:6

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

I have been the first that laid the grounds of religion amongst you, and planted the Church at Corinth: Apollos came after me, and seconded my holy endeavours with you; but it was God, that gave success to both our labours, and wrought upon your hearts an increase of grace thereby.

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

Who hath made us able ministers of the New Testament: but, not of the outward and bare sound thereof, or of that dead letter wherein it is expressed and written; but of that inward virtue of the Spirit of God, which, through the blessing of God, worketh with the vocal sound of the Gospel: for the outward expression, being separated from the inward power of the Gospel, occasions the death of the soul: it is the inward grace of the Spirit, working with the letter and sound of the Gospel, that gives a true spiritual life unto the soul. III. 7, 8. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? But if the Old Law, which threateneth and bringeth death with it, which was written and engraven in tables of stone, were delivered with such glory, as that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses, for the shining glory of his countenance, which glory was but temporary, and vanished away with the face itself: How shall not the ministration of the Gospel, which is accompanied by the Spirit of God, and gives life to the receivers, be much more glorious? So also verse 9.

1 Corinthians 3:8

Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Now he, that first planteth, and he, that afterwards watereth,

1 Corinthians 3:9

For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

For we are labourers under God, and together with him, in this great work of winning souls to him; and therefore cannot fail of our due reward: ye are God’s husbandry; we help to till and sow you: ye are God’s building; we help to rear you up.

1 Corinthians 3:10

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.

And, in this spiritual architecture or building, there are degrees of workmen: I, for my part, according to that measure of grace which God hath given me, as a wise masterbuilder, have, as a faithful Apostle of Christ, laid the foundation of a Church amongst you, grounding you in the first principles of Christianity; and then come other teachers after me, and build thereupon such further doctrines, as they think meet. But let every man take heed what he teacheth, and how he buildeth.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

For even that glorious delivery of the Law, and that shining face of Moses, had no glory at all in it, if it be compared with that excellent glory of the Gospel, and of the Apostolical function.

1 Corinthians 3:11

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

For, certainly, as for the foundation I know I have made sure work: I well know, no man can lay any other than that which I have laid, which is Jesus Christ: on whom alone the Church of God is originally founded and built. III. 12, 13. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be rereated by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. Now all the care is for the building, that is erected upon this foundation; what matter or stuff it is of; and how it is laid: for, what matter soever it is, whether gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, Certainly it will and must come to the trial: every man’s work or doctrine shall appear what it is: there is a day coming, which shall clearly declare it, because it shall be made manifest by the fire of God’s judgment: that trial and examination of God shall discover every man’s work, of what sort it is.

1 Corinthians 3:14

If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man’s doctrine, which he hath built thereupon, be of a firm and solid nature, such as gold and silver &c., and do therefore endure the trial, which it shall be put unto, he shall receive a reward.

1 Corinthians 3:15

If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

If any man’s doctrine be frivolous, like straw or stubble or wood, apt to be burnt up, and so be wasted in that fiery examination, he shall lose his labour in teaching it; but, as for himself, because he holds and maintains the foundation, he shall be saved; but yet so, as that his slight errors shall cost him dear, and undergo the sharp affliction of the just hand of God.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Know ye not, that ye are the Spiritual Temple of God, built by him, and consecrated to his own service; and that, as God testified his presence and inhabitation in the Material Temple, so the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

For, that, which the world accounts to be the only wisdom, is esteemed of God no other than mere foolishness, according to that which is written, He befoleth the wise and crafty in their own wiliness and policy. III. 21, 22. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, &c. Therefore let no man glory in one man above another. For all things are yours; so as ye shall wrong yourselves in so fastidious a choice; Whether Paul or Apollos, &c.