Study Desk

The Church and Its Leaders

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(a) but as people who are still worldly^(b)—mere infants^(c) in Christ.

I gave you milk, not solid food,^(d) for you were not yet ready for it.^(e) Indeed, you are still not ready.

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(f) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos,"^(g) are you not mere human beings?

What, after all, is Apollos?^(h) And what is Paul? Only servants,⁽ⁱ⁾ through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.

I planted the seed,^(j) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^(k)

For we are co-workers in God's service;^(l) you are God's field,^(m) God's building.⁽ⁿ⁾

By the grace God has given me,^(o) I laid a foundation^(p) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(q)

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

their work will be shown for what it is,^(r) because the Day^(s) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.^(t)

If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^(u)

If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(v)

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple^(w) and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?^(x)

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(y) by the standards of this age,^(z) you should become "fools" so that you may become wise.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(aa) in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"^[a];^(ab)

and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."^[b](ac)

So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(ad) All things are yours,^(ae)

whether Paul or Apollos^(af) or Cephas^[c](ag) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(ah)—all are yours,

and you are of Christ,^(ai) and Christ is of God.

The Nature of True Apostleship

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^(a) of Christ and as those entrusted^(b) with the mysteries^(c) God has revealed.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

My conscience^(d) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^(e) It is the Lord who judges me.^(f)

Therefore judge nothing^(g) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.^(h) He will bring to light⁽ⁱ⁾ what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.^(j)

Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written."^(k) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.^(l)

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?^(m) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!⁽ⁿ⁾ You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!

For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(o) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(p) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.

We are fools for Christ,^(q) but you are so wise in Christ!^(r) We are weak, but you are strong!^(s) You are honored, we are dishonored!

To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^(t)

We work hard with our own hands.^(u) When we are cursed, we bless;^(v) when we are persecuted,^(w) we endure it;

when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^(x) of the world—right up to this moment.

I am writing this not to shame you^(y) but to warn you as my dear children.^(z)

Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(aa) through the gospel.^(ab)

Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^(ac)

For this reason I have sent to you^(ad) Timothy,^(ae) my son^(af) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(ag)

Some of you have become arrogant,^(ah) as if I were not coming to you.^(ai)

But I will come to you very soon,^(aj) if the Lord is willing,^(ak) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(al) talk but of power.^(am)

What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(an) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?