¹ Family,^a I could not speak to you as Life-breath-filled people but as people guided by self-preservation,^b as babies regarding Christ. ² I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to take it in. In fact, you are still not able to take it in even now, ³ since you are still guided by self-preservation. You see, where there is rivalry^c and contention among you, are you not walking along the ordinary human path, guided by self-preservation?^d ⁴ When one person says, “I am with Paul,” but another person says, “I am with Apollos,” are you not walking along the ordinary human path?^e ⁵ Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? Just as the Lord assigned them each to serve, they are servants through whom you trusted the Lord.^f ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God was making it grow. ⁷ So then, neither who planted nor who watered is what matters; God is who makes it grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters are unified,^g and each will receive their own due payment based on their own labor. ⁹ You see, we work together,^h and you are God’s field.

You are also God’s building. ¹⁰ Based on God’s generosity given to me, I laid the foundation like an expertⁱ lead builder, but another person builds on it. Each person should pay attention to^j how they build on it. ¹¹ You see, no one can lay a different foundation from what has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each person’s work will be seen clearly. You see, the Day^k will show its significance because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what kind of work each one is. ¹⁴ If the work someone built remains, they will receive payment. ¹⁵ If their work burns up, they will suffer loss; they themselves will be restored, but in this way as through fire. ¹⁶ Don’t you know that you^l are God’s temple and that God’s Life-breath resides among you? ¹⁷ If anyone ruins^m God’s temple, God will bring that person to ruin.ⁿ You see, God’s temple—which you are—is sacred.

¹⁸ No one should deceive themselves. If someone among you seems to be wise according to the standard of this Age, they should embrace supposed^o nonsense so that they can become truly^p wise. ¹⁹ You see, the wisdom of this world system is nonsense with God. As it is written, “God holds the seemingly^q wise tightly in their false wisdom”^r ²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows the deliberations of the supposedly wise, that they are useless.”^s ²¹ So then, no one should boast about human leaders. You see, everything is yours! ²² Whether it’s Paul or Apollos or Cephas^t or whether it’s the whole world or life or death or it’s the present or the future, everything is yours. ²³ You are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

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1 Corinthians 2

1 Corinthians 4

FOOTNOTES:

a. The word adelphos, literally means ‘brother’ or ‘sibling.’ It was also frequently used to refer to ‘cousin’ or ‘relative,’ and even for members of the same ideological or ethnic group. With Jesus’ insistence on a radically inclusive understanding of God’s instruction, it is always pushing further than what already seems to be the most wide-sweeping view people hold. In the New Testament letters, it comes to be used of anyone who has joined the Christ community, regardless of gender.
b. ‘People guided by self-preservation’ is translating the Greek word sarkinos, traditionally, ‘people of the flesh’ or ‘carnal people.’ Literally, it has to do with the stuff that comprises a body, the tissue that makes up bodies. It can also be used to represent family connection, as in ‘my flesh and blood.’ In this context, the author seems to be using it to describe shortsighted satiation of impulsive urges that originate in the body as a drive for self-protection and self-promotion, leading to rivalry and competition.
c. The word has to do with jealous competitiveness.
d. Traditionally, "the flesh"
e. Literally, “Are you not humans?”
g. Literally, “are one.”
h. Literally, ‘we are co-workers.’
i. This word, sophos, is traditionally ‘wise’ but can also mean ‘skilled’ or ‘educated’ or ‘expert.’
j. Literally, ‘watch.’
k. See 1 Corinthians 1:8. This is shorthand for the future time when God’s justice will prevail. It is referred to throughout the Bible with terms like “Day of justice” or “Day of assessment” and “Day of the Lord.” It is discussed throughout scripture as a time when what is right and good will be clearly identified in contrast with what is harmful, and justice will be done to correct oppression and harm and promote the well-being of all.
l. As is true throughout 1 Corinthians, “you” is plural, referring to the whole group as a collective.
m. The Greek verb phtheírō is traditionally translated as "destroy." However, according to The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, phtheírō encompasses meanings such as "to corrupt," "to spoil," or "to ruin," or “to cause harm,” indicating a broader range of actions that cause harm or deterioration.
n. According to The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, phtheírō carries a range of meanings, including "to corrupt," "to spoil," "to ruin," "to waste away," "to cause harm," and "to inflict losses on." While traditionally rendered as "destroy," the term more broadly implies actions that harm, corrupt, or diminish, often with a focus on deterioration or loss. In the tradition of Torah, penalties for theft and property damage involved restitution—inflicting losses or deprivations that correspond to the harm caused. This aligns with the concept of divine justice as restorative and compensatory, addressing the wrong through proportional consequences that make amends rather than outright annihilation.
o. The word ‘supposed’ is not in the Greek but is added for clarity. The oral culture used inflection and other ways to communicate rhetorical nuances. In English we do the same, such as using our fingers to make “air quotes” in a situation when we are using a word in a way that contrasts with what we actually understand. In writing, English writers use additional words to clarify the rhetoric or use quotation marks or italics to clarify intended meanings.
p. The word ‘truly’ is not in the Greek but is added for clarity in contrast with “supposed.” The oral culture used inflection and other ways to communicate rhetorical nuances. In English we do the same, such as using our fingers to make “air quotes” in a situation when we are using a word in a way that contrasts with what we actually understand. In writing, English writers use additional words to clarify the rhetoric or use quotation marks or italics to clarify intended meanings.
q. The word ‘seemingly’ is not in the Greek but is added for clarity and refers back to “seems to be wise” in verse 18. The oral culture used inflection and other ways to communicate rhetorical nuances. In English we do the same, such as using our fingers to make “air quotes” in a situation when we are using a word in a way that contrasts with what we actually understand. In writing, English writers use additional words to clarify the rhetoric or use quotation marks or italics to clarify intended meanings.
r. Citation of Job 5:13
s. Citation of Psalm 94:11
t. Cephas is from the Aramaic version of ‘Peter.’ They both are from the Aramaic and Greek words for ‘stone’ or ‘rock.’ See Matthew 16:18.