- 1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
- 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
- 3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
- 4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
- 5Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
- 6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
- 7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
- 8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
- 9For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
- 10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
- 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
- 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
- 13Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
- 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
- 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
- 16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
- 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
- 18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
- 20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
- 21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
- 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
- 23And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
KING JAMES VERSION
1 CORINTHIANS 3
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
1 Corinthians 3 — God gives the growth as His servants build together on the one foundation, Jesus Christ, and the church becomes His holy temple.
About this illustration
Field, watering, foundation, tested materials, and growing temple combine Paul’s agricultural and architectural metaphors. The refining fire is confined to building materials, and no apostolic worker receives the place belonging to God.
Scripture basis: 1 Corinthians 3:1–23King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
Related Watchman 33 Resources
Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
6th Century
Papyrus P11: 1 Corinthians 1:17–20 in a Greek Witness
Papyrus P11 is a highly fragmented sixth-century Greek codex in Saint Petersburg preserving portions of 1 Corinthians 1-7, an unusually broad but broken witness to Paul's teaching on the cross, church conflict, holiness, and marriage.
1 Corinthians 1:17–22 · 1 Corinthians 2:9–14 · 1 Corinthians 3:1–6
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
6th Century
Papyrus P14: 1 Corinthians 1:25–27 in a Greek Witness
Papyrus P14 consists of seven reused binding fragments at Saint Catherine's Monastery that preserve portions of 1 Corinthians 1–3 and offer a rare, physically complicated witness to Pauline copying around the sixth century.
1 Corinthians 1:25–27 · 1 Corinthians 2:6–8 · 1 Corinthians 3:8–10
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Fourth century AD
Uncial 0185: An Early Leaf of 1 Corinthians 2–3
Uncial 0185: An Early Leaf of 1 Corinthians 2–3 is a separately registered physical witness to the copying and reception of 1 Corinthians 2:5–13; 1 Corinthians 3:2–3, identified by its own GA number, shelfmark, date, layout, and custodial history.
1 Corinthians 2:5–13 · 1 Corinthians 3:2–3
Sermons
Legally Blind
Pastor Dean Odle warns that believers can become spiritually blind through pride, passivity, and failure to practice or rightly interpret Scripture. Moving from James 1 and Jesus' confrontations with the Pharisees to Paul's pastoral commands and Christ's rebuke of Laodicea, he urges humility, careful study, prayer, and honest self-examination. Odle applies the warning to disputes over salvation, spiritual gifts, women in ministry, and biblical creation, attributing deception to isolated proof texts and resistance to correction. He closes from 2 Corinthians 5 with the judgment seat of Christ, a call to be reconciled to God, and a prayer for the Holy Spirit to open believers' eyes.
Doctrine and DiscernmentApostasy and DeceptionChristian LivingScripture Alone
View sermon The Book of Enoch (Part 4)
In The Book of Enoch (Part 4), Pastor Dean Odle presents Enoch’s visions as an ancient prophetic witness to Jesus Christ—the Elect One, Righteous One, Son of Man, and Anointed One. He compares passages from 1 Enoch 39–62 with Genesis, Hebrews, Isaiah, the Gospels, Paul’s letters, and Revelation. Odle argues that Enoch anticipates Christ’s preexistence, wisdom, saving name, resurrection of the righteous, heavenly dwellings, the defeat of Satan, the judgment of rulers, and the final separation of the righteous from the wicked.
Bible ProphecyChrist AloneApostasy and DeceptionDoctrine and Discernment
View sermon The Book of Enoch (Part 3)
In The Book of Enoch (Part 3), Pastor Dean Odle answers critics of Enoch and argues that its account of the Watchers and their giant offspring complements rather than contradicts the canonical Bible. Beginning with objections about the origin of sin, the title “Son of man,” bound angels, the Flood, and intercession, he urges Christians to examine claims in context instead of repeating inherited objections. He then connects Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees in Matthew 22 with Enoch 15, presenting Enoch as background for the teaching that heavenly angels are not appointed wives.
Bible ProphecyBiblical CreationApostasy and DeceptionDoctrine and Discernment
View sermon Showing 1–3 of 6 sermons