God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,^(A) but not the wisdom of this age^(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(C) 7} No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery^(D) that has been hidden^(E) and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age^(F) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(G) 9} However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(I) to us by his Spirit.^(J)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts^(K) except their own spirit^(L) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit^(M) of the world,^(N) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom^(O) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^{[b] 14} The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God^(P) but considers them foolishness,^(Q) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit^(R) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for,

But we have the mind of Christ.^(T)

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(U) but as people who are still worldly^(V)—mere infants^(W) in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food,^(X) for you were not yet ready for it.^(Y) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(Z) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(AA) are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos?^(AB) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(AC) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed,^(AD) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^{(AE) 9} For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(AF) you are God’s field,^(AG) God’s building.^(AH)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(AI) I laid a foundation^(AJ) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^{(AK) 12} If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is,^(AL) because the Day^(AM) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^{(AN) 14} If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^{(AO) 15} If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(AP)

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(AQ) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^{(AR) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(AS) by the standards of this age,^(AT) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(AU) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[d];^{(AV) 20} and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^{[e](AW) 21} So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(AX) All things are yours,^{(AY) 22} whether Paul or Apollos^(AZ) or Cephas^[f](BA) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(BB)—all are yours, ²³ and you are of Christ,^(BC) and Christ is of God.