1 Corinthians 3:12

3:12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,

sn The various materials described here, both valuable (gold, silver, precious stones) and worthless (wood, hay, or straw) refer to the quality of work built on the foundation, or possibly to the motivation of those doing the building. The materials themselves have been understood (1) as deeds or (2) as people (since ultimately the passage is addressing those who minister to others).