The Problem of Immaturity

3 Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.^{(A) 2} I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³ because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy^(B) and strife^[a](C) among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers?^{[b] 4} For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,”^(D) are you not unspiritual people?^[c][d]

The Role of God’s Servants

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. ⁶ I planted,^(E) Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s coworkers.^[e] You are God’s field, God’s building.^{(F) 10} According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation^(G) than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ.