1 A nd I, brethren, have not been able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly; as to 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 given you milk to drink, not meat, for ye have not yet been able, nor indeed are ye yet 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 among you emulation and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk according to man?

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 when one says, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, are ye not men?

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 Apollos, and who Paul? Ministering servants, through whom ye have believed, and as the Lord has given to each.

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 has given the increase.

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

7 S o that neither the planter is anything, nor the waterer; but God the giver of 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 B ut the planter and the waterer are one; but each 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 God's fellow-workmen; ye are God's husbandry, 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 has been given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation, but another builds upon it. But let each see how he builds upon it.

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 besides that which 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 one build upon foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,

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 t he work of each shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire shall try the work of each what 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 the work of any one which he has built upon shall abide, he shall receive a reward.

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

15 I f the work of any one shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss, but he shall be saved, but so as through 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 D o ye not know that ye are temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells 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 one corrupt the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.

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 one deceive himself: if any one thinks himself to be wise among you in this world, let him become foolish, 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 who takes the wise in their 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, Lord knows the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.

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

21 S o that let no one boast 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 world, or life, or death, or things present, or things coming, 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 Christ's, and Christ God's.

You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.