1 Corinthians 3:4

4 For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apol'los," are you not merely 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 fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready,

3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?

4 For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apol'los," are you not merely men?

5 What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

6 I planted, Apol'los watered, but God gave the growth.