1 Corinthians 3:1

Immaturity and Self-deception

3:1 So, brothers and sisters, ¹  I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, ²  as infants in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4

3:3 for you are still influenced by the flesh. ³  For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? ⁴  3:4 For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human? ⁵ 

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¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.

² tn Grk “fleshly [people]”; the Greek term here is σαρκινός (BDAG 914 s.v. 1).

³ tn Or “are still merely human”; Grk “fleshly.” Cf. BDAG 914 s.v. σαρκικός 2, “pert. to being human at a disappointing level of behavior or characteristics, (merely) human.” The same phrase occurs again later in this verse.

⁴ tn Grk “and walking in accordance with man,” i.e., living like (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence; hence, “unregenerate people.”

⁵ tn Grk “are you not men,” i.e., (fallen) humanity without the Spirit’s influence. Here Paul does not say “walking in accordance with” as in the previous verse; he actually states the Corinthians are this. However, this is almost certainly rhetorical hyperbole.