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

Christian brothers, I could not speak to you as to full-grown Christians. I spoke to you as men who have not obeyed the things you have been taught. I spoke to you as if you were baby Christians.

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.

My teaching was as if I were giving you milk to drink. I could not give you meat because you were not ready for it. Even yet you are not able to have anything but milk.

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

You still live as men who are not Christians. When you are jealous and fight with each other, you are still living in sin and acting like sinful men in the world.

4 F or while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

When one says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I am a follower of Apollos,” does not this sound like the talk of baby Christians?

5 W ho then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only servants owned by God. He gave us gifts to preach His Word. And because of that, you put your trust in Christ.

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

I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but it was God Who kept it growing.

7 S o then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

This shows that the one who plants or the one who waters is not the important one. God is the important One. He makes it grow.

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

The one who plants and the one who waters are alike. Each one will receive his own reward.

9 F or we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

For we work together with God. You are God’s field. You are God’s building also.

10 A ccording 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.

Through God’s loving-favor to me, I laid the stones on which the building was to be built. I did it like one who knew what he was doing. Now another person is building on it. Each person who builds must be careful how he builds on it.

11 F or other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the Stone on which other stones for the building must be laid. It can be only Christ.

12 N ow if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Now if a man builds on the Stone with gold or silver or beautiful stones, or if he builds with wood or grass or straw,

13 e very 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.

each man’s work will become known. There will be a day when it will be tested by fire. The fire will show what kind of work it is.

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

If a man builds on work that lasts, he will receive his reward.

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

If his work is burned up, he will lose it. Yet he himself will be saved as if he were going through a fire.

16 K now ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Do you not know that you are a house of God and that the Holy Spirit lives in you?

17 I f any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

If any man destroys the house of God, God will destroy him. God’s house is holy. You are the place where He lives.

18 L et 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.

Do not fool yourself. If anyone thinks he knows a lot about the things of this world, he had better become a fool. Then he may become wise.

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

The wisdom of this world is foolish to God. The Holy Writings say, “He is the One Who gets them in a trap when they use their own wisdom.”

20 A nd again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

They also say, “The Lord knows how the wise man thinks. His thinking is worth nothing.”

21 T herefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

As a Christian, do not be proud of men and of what they can do. All things belong to you.

22 w hether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Paul and Apollos and Peter belong to you. The world and life and death belong to you. Things now and things to come belong to you.

23 a nd ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.