“Are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
The full verse · 1 Corinthians 3:3 · KJV
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Asked by
Paul: the apostle who first planted the church at Corinth and fed them "with milk, and not with meat" (1 Corinthians 3:2, 6)
Asked to
Corinthians: members of the church of God at Corinth, "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Corinthians 1:2), whom Paul calls "brethren" and "babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1)
The Scene
Paul tells the Corinthians he could not speak to them "as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ," and had to feed them "with milk, and not with meat" (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionPaul has just said, "ye are yet carnal," and now he shows his evidence. Envying, strife, and divisions are there for all to see, so he asks them to draw the conclusion themselves. "Carnal" does not mean they are unbelievers; Paul calls them "babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1). Gill says they were not unregenerate, but "the flesh was in them." Barnes says their divisions showed they were still "under the influence of the principles which govern the people of this world." To "walk as men" is to live like everyone else. Gill puts it this way: "in their conduct could scarcely be distinguished from the rest of the world."
The Response
What Scripture recordsPaul answers by naming the clearest example: "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3:4). Then he shows them the cure. Paul and Apollos are only "ministers by whom ye believed," and "God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:5-6). His conclusion: "let no man glory in men" (1 Corinthians 3:21).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"Carnal" translates the Greek sarkikoi, fleshly, people acting from the flesh rather than the Spirit. "Envying" is zēlos, jealousy or rivalry; "strife" is eris, quarreling; "divisions" is dichostasiai, a standing apart. The Textus Receptus behind the KJV includes "and divisions," while the Nestle text behind the ESV leaves it out, which is why the ESV reads only "jealousy and strife." Barnes describes the parties as "embittered with mutual recriminations and reproaches." Gill says the strife centered on "warm debates and contentions about their ministers."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows how God measures spiritual growth. The Corinthians were rich in gifts: they were "enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge" and came "behind in no gift" (1 Corinthians 1:5, 7). Yet Paul calls them babes, because of how they treated one another. Matthew Henry writes, "Contentions and quarrels about religion are sad evidences of carnality. True religion makes men peaceable, not contentious."
Paul's answer turns their eyes from people to God. Ministers plant and water, "but God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6). The church is "God's husbandry" and "God's building" (1 Corinthians 3:9), not the property of any leader's fan club. When believers remember that God is the one at work, rivalry over His servants loses its point.
Look Closer
What evidence does Paul give that the Corinthians are carnal?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Father, where do envy or rivalry in my relationships show that I am still walking as merely human, and how do You want to grow me?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Why do you think comparison and taking sides come so easily, even among people who love Jesus?
- Tell about a time you saw a church or group move from rivalry to working together. What made the difference?
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Spiritual maturity is not measured mainly by how much you know or what gifts you have. The Corinthians had both. It shows up in how you treat other believers.
When you notice envy, quarreling, or a pull to take sides over leaders, let Paul's question stop you: is this how the world acts? Then remember who gives the growth: "God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6). No one wins when God's servants are turned into rivals.
This is not a call to shame. Paul speaks to them as "brethren" and "babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1), and babies are expected to grow. Nor does it mean every disagreement is carnal. Paul is naming envy and party spirit, not honest discussion.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Are ye not carnal?”
“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?”
“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?”