1 Corinthians 3:5 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)5 After all, who is Apollos? And who is Paul? They are [only] servants through whom you believed [in Christ], with each one doing what the Lord gave him to do. Ver CapítuloMás versionesKing James Version (Oxford) 17695 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? Ver CapítuloAmplified Bible - Classic Edition5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Ministering servants [not heads of parties] through whom you believed, even as the Lord appointed to each his task: Ver CapítuloAmerican Standard Version (1901)5 What then is Apollos? and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. Ver CapítuloCommon English Bible5 After all, what is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants who helped you to believe. Each one had a role given to them by the Lord: Ver CapítuloCatholic Public Domain Version5 We are only the ministers of him in whom you have believed, just as the Lord has granted to each of you. Ver Capítulo |
He has also made us competent as ministers of a New Agreement [i.e., between Himself and mankind]. It is not [an agreement] based [merely] on a written document [i.e., such as the Law of Moses], but on the Holy Spirit, for the written document brings [spiritual] death [See Rom. 8:2], but the Holy Spirit brings [never ending] life.
You people show [i.e., by your conversions] that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us [i.e., the result of our ministry], not written with ink but with the Holy Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets [i.e., as in the case with Moses’ ministry], but on tablets of the human heart. [See Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10].
Now God has placed some [ministries] in the church [as follows]: First apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then [those able to perform] miracles, then gifts [enabling people] to perform [supernatural] healings, [those able] to help the needy, [wise] administrators, [and] those able to speak in different languages.
He gave one servant five talents [Note: This ‘talent’ was a large sum of money in the form of a certain weight of silver. It was the equivalent of sixty years of a farm laborer’s wages, or about $1,400,000 in 2005 income]. He gave two talents to another servant and one talent to another. He gave to each one an amount in keeping with his ability [to invest it wisely], and then left on his trip.
[This will happen] if you continue in the faith [Note: This means either “continue to observe God’s teaching” or, “continue to believe”], firmly grounded and established, and not moved away from the hope offered by the Gospel message, which you have heard and which was preached to people throughout the entire created world under heaven. I, Paul, was made a minister of this Gospel.