1 Corinthians 3:4

4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

1 Corinthians 3:4 in Other Translations

KJV
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
ESV
4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos,"are you not being merely human?
NLT
4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
MSG
4 When one of you says, "I'm on Paul's side," and another says, "I'm for Apollos," aren't you being totally infantile?
CSB
4 For whenever someone says, "I'm with Paul," and another, "I'm with Apollos," are you not [typical] men?

1 Corinthians 3:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 3:4

For while one saith, I am of Paul
This shows what their envying and strife, and divisions were about, and from whence they sprung; and which serve, to strengthen the proof, and support the charge of carnality brought against them; for when one sort made a party for Paul, and set up him as their minister above all others; and said

another, I am of Apollos,
preferring him for his eloquence above Paul, or any other preacher, as appears from ( 1 Corinthians 1:12 ) there was a third sort for Cephas, whom they cried up as superior to the other two, or any other man; and a fourth were for Christ, and despised all ministers whatever:

are ye not carnal?
all this was a demonstration of it: they could never clear themselves from it, they must be convicted in their own consciences of it; to which the apostle appeals: the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, "are ye not men?"

1 Corinthians 3:4 In-Context

2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling 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,” are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 1 Corinthians 1:12
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