1CO 3:1-9

Godʼs Fellow Workers

1And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as made-of-flesh people — as infants in Christ. [3:2] I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able. And you are still not able now, [3:3] for you are still made of flesh. For since there is rivalry and contention among you, are you not made of flesh and walking according to human ways? [3:4] For when anyone says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not mere humans? [3:5] What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him. [3:6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. [3:7] So then, neither the one who plants is anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth. [3:8] Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one — but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. [3:9] For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Corinthian context, Paul addresses a community marked by factionalism and immaturity. The terms 'fleshly' and 'infants' highlight their spiritual immaturity, contrasting with the 'spiritual' maturity Paul expects. The Corinthians' reliance on 'milk' rather than 'solid food' reflects their inability to grasp deeper spiritual truths, a common metaphor in Greco-Roman education for basic versus advanced learning. Their 'jealousy' and 'strife' reveal a competitive, honor-shame driven culture where allegiance to leaders like Paul or Apollos became a source of division. This mirrors the Greco-Roman practice of aligning with philosophical schools or patrons, where loyalty to a teacher often led to rivalry. Paul reframes their leaders as 'servants' , emphasizing their role as mere instruments of God’s work, not objects of devotion. This challenges the Corinthian tendency to elevate human leaders, a practice common in both Greco-Roman and Jewish contexts where teachers and rabbis were often venerated.

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How other translations render this

1CO 3:1

KJV: And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
BSB: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ.
Koinōnos: And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as made-of-flesh people — as infants in Christ.

1CO 3:2

KJV: 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.
BSB: I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,
Koinōnos: I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able. And you are still not able now,

1CO 3:3

KJV: For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
BSB: for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
Koinōnos: for you are still made of flesh. For since there is rivalry and contention among you, are you not made of flesh and walking according to human ways?

1CO 3:4

KJV: For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
BSB: For when one of you says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?
Koinōnos: For when anyone says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not mere humans?

1CO 3:5

KJV: Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
BSB: What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
Koinōnos: What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him.

1CO 3:6

KJV: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
BSB: I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
Koinōnos: I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

1CO 3:7

KJV: So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
BSB: So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Koinōnos: So then, neither the one who plants is anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.

1CO 3:8

KJV: Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
BSB: He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
Koinōnos: Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one — but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

1CO 3:9

KJV: For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
BSB: For we are Godʼs fellow workers; you are Godʼs field, Godʼs building.
Koinōnos: For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1CO 3:1

to fleshly,:The word translated 'fleshly' here describes something made of flesh, emphasizing its material, earthly nature rather than a spiritual one. It suggests being governed by human, rather than divine, impulses.
to infants:The term used here for 'infants' refers to very young children, implying a state of immaturity and inability to handle solid food or complex ideas. It highlights their need for basic nourishment and guidance.

1CO 3:3

jealousy:The word translated 'jealousy' could also carry the sense of intense rivalry or zealous competition, which in some contexts could be positive, but here it is clearly presented as a negative, divisive force.
strife:The word translated 'strife' refers to contention, quarreling, or discord, often arising from rivalry or competition. It describes a state of active disagreement and conflict within a community.