[9-16] But as the Word says, No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of any person imagined what has been prepared for those who love God. But God has revealed these truths to us by the Spirit because the Spirit knows everything, yes, even the secrets of God. Who knows what is in someone, except the spirit of that person, which is in them? Like this, no one knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God. Now we have, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. Which we also speak, not in the Words which human wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; judging spiritual things against things that are spiritual. But the natural person doesn’t accept the things of the Spirit of God because it doesn’t make sense to them: nor can they understand it, because they’re spiritually dead. But whoever is spiritually alive judges everything right, but still, they themselves aren’t judged rightly by anyone. Who knows the mind of God that they may teach God? But we have the knowledge of the mind of Christ.
Denominations and Sects Forbidden Again
3[1-7] Christians, I couldn’t speak to you as to the spiritually alive, but as to worldly people, just like new babies in Christ. So I’ve fed you with milk, and not with solid food, because to this point you weren’t able to have it, nor are you able to yet, because you’re still worldly. While there’s jealousy, strife, and disagreements among you, aren’t you worldly, and walk as worldly people? While one says, "I am of Paul"; and another says, "I am of Apollos"; aren’t you still being worldly? So who is Paul and who is Apollos then, but the ministers who brought you to faith, just as God gave to everyone? I’ve planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. [7] So then the one who plants is nothing, nor the one who waters; but only God who gives the harvest.
[8-17] Now whoever plants and whoever waters are one and the same: and everyone will get rewarded for their own work. We are all co-workers with God: you’re God's farmer’s, you’re God's builders. For the grace of God, which has been given to me, as a wise master-builder, I’ve laid the foundation, and someone else built on it. But let everyone be careful how they build on it. No one can lay any other foundation than what has already been laid, which is Yeshua, the Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble; It will become plain what every person's work is because it will be clearly seen on that day, becoming exposed by the fire, which will try everyone's work to see what kind it is. If anyone builds on a work, which isn’t burned, they’ll get a reward. But if someone’s work is burned, they’ll lose their reward: though they themselves will be saved; but still as though by fire. Don’t you know that you’re God’s place of worship, and that the Spirit of God lives in you? So if anyone makes God’s place of worship unfit, God will put them to death, because God’s place of worship is holy, which you are.
[18-23] Let no one mislead them self. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let them become like an idiot, so that they can be wise; because the wisdom of this world is stupidity with God. The Word says, "God catches the wise in their own scheming." And again, Yahweh God knows that the thoughts of the wise are meaningless. So let no one be prideful in human beings, because everything belongs to you; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Peter, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all these belong to you; And you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
Ministers of Christ
4[1-7] So let people think of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and managers of the secrets of God. Besides this, it’s required of managers to be found faithful. But it doesn’t matter to me that I am judged by you, or by a human system of judgment: yes, and I don’t even judge my own self, because I don’t know everything myself; still am I not excused by this: but the One who judges me is God. So don’t judge anything before Christ comes, who will bring both the hidden things of darkness out into the light, and will make plain the thoughts of the hearts: and then each one of us will be praised by God. And this, Christians, I’ve symbolically shifted to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; so that you might learn through us not to think in human terms above what is written, that none of you become prideful for one over another. And who makes you to differ from one another? And what do you have that you weren’t given? Now if you did accept it, why do you brag, as if you hadn’t been given it?
Ministers Made Examples to the World
[8-21] Now you’re full and rich, and you’ve ruled as rulers without us: and I hope to God that you do rule, that we might also rule with you. But I think that God has put us followers last, as if we were chosen for death because we are made an example to the world, both to angels, and to human beings. We make ourselves foolish for Christ's sake, but you’re wise in Christ; We're weak, but you’re strong; You’re respectable, but we're disrespected. Even to this day, we hunger, thirst, and are poorly clothed, and are beaten, and have no assured home; And we work, working with our own hands: being hated, we bless; being abused, we suffer it: Being defamed, we plead: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the trash of all to this day. I don’t write this to shame you, but as my dear loved children, I warn you. Even though you may have many teachers in Christ, still, you have only one who bore you, because in Christ Yeshua, you were born through me through the New Word. So I beg you, follow me. Because of this, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my own Child that I love, and faithful in God, who will bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are prideful, as though I wouldn’t come to you. But I’ll come to you shortly, if God wills it, and then I will know, not the Words of those who are prideful, but the power, because the realm of God isn’t in word, but in power. What do you want? For me to come to you with force, or in love, and in the spirit of gentleness?
