So I had to approach you, not as spiritual men,
but a worldly-minded set, at best not more than babies in Mashiach. I gave you
milk to drink, not meat to eat, for you could not take it. Even now you are not
strong enough for it. You are still too worldly. For when jealousy, quarrels,
and divisions thrive among you, are you not worldly-minded and carrying on like
men of the world?
When one of you says, ‘I am a follower of
Paul,’ and another says, ‘I am a follower of Apollos,’ are you not then
speaking like worldly men? Who is Apollos? And who is Paul? Just servants
through whom you have come to faith, each doing the work that Elohei allotted
to him. I did the planting, Apollos the watering, but Elohei gave the growth.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters counts for anything, but only
Elohei, Who gave the growth.
The planter and the waterer are alike,
although each will be paid according to his work. We are Elohim’s workmen and
you are Elohim’s field to be tilled – or Elohei’s building to be erected. Like
a skillful architect, I laid a foundation according to the commission that Elohim
gave me, but someone else is building on it. But let each one take care how he
builds on it. For this foundation is Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, and He is the only
foundation on which anyone can build.
Men may build on this foundation with gold,
silver, and precious stones; or with wood, grass, and straw; and each builder’s
workmanship will be made clear, for the Judgement Day will disclose it. That Day
will come with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has
done. If a man has put up a building that stands firm, he will receive a
reward. But if the building is destroyed, that will be his loss; yet he, himself,
will be saved: but only as though he were pulled out of the fire.
Don’t you know that you are Elohei’s Temple,
and that His Spirit makes His home in you? If anyone defiles Elohei’s temple,
Elohim will bring him to ruin, for Elohei’s Temple is holy and you are that
temple.
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among
you thinks that he is wise in a worldly way, let him rather become a fool in
order to be truly wise. In Elohim’s sight, the world’s wisdom is foolishness.
So Scripture says, “He catches the wise with their own quibbling.” And again, “The
Lord knows the reasonings of the learned, that they are of no account.” (Job
5:13 & Psalm 94:11).
Let no one, then, boast of men, because all
things are yours! Be it Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world; or life and
death, or the present and the future – it is all for you!
And you belong to Mashiach, and Mashiach
belongs to Elohei!
