1 Corinthians 3:2
New International Version
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

New Living Translation
I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,

English Standard Version
I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

Berean Standard Bible
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,

Berean Literal Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for not yet were you able. In fact, now you are still not able,

King James Bible
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

New King James Version
I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

New American Standard Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able,

NASB 1995
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

NASB 1977
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

Legacy Standard Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are still not able,

Amplified Bible
I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready.

Christian Standard Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready,

American Standard Version
I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I gave you milk to drink and I did not give you solid food, for you have not been able to bear it until now, neither now are you able.

Contemporary English Version
So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot,

Douay-Rheims Bible
I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet. But neither indeed are you now able; for you are yet carnal.

English Revised Version
I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I gave you milk to drink. I didn't give you solid food because you weren't ready for it. Even now you aren't ready for it

Good News Translation
I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it,

International Standard Version
I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you weren't ready for it. And you're still not ready!

Literal Standard Version
with milk I fed you, and not with meat, for you were not yet able, but not even yet are you now able,

Majority Standard Bible
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,

New American Bible
I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now,

NET Bible
I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready,

New Revised Standard Version
I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready,

New Heart English Bible
I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you weren't yet ready. And even now you are still not ready,

Webster's Bible Translation
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Weymouth New Testament
I fed you with milk and not with solid food, since for this you were not yet strong enough. And even now you are not strong enough:

World English Bible
I fed you with milk, not with solid food, for you weren’t yet ready. Indeed, you aren’t ready even now,

Young's Literal Translation
with milk I fed you, and not with meat, for ye were not yet able, but not even yet are ye now able,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God's Fellow Workers
1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, 3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?…

Cross References
John 16:12
I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.

Hebrews 5:12
Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God's word. You need milk, not solid food!

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,


Treasury of Scripture

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for till now you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able.

fed.

Hebrews 5:12-14
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat…

1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

for.

John 16:12
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Hebrews 5:11,12
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing…

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Able Bear Drink Enough Fed Food Hitherto Indeed Meat Milk Ready Receive Solid Strong Unable Weren't
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Able Bear Drink Enough Fed Food Hitherto Indeed Meat Milk Ready Receive Solid Strong Unable Weren't
1 Corinthians 3
1. Milk is fit for children.
3. Strife and division, arguments of a fleshly mind.
7. He who plants and He who waters are nothing.
9. The ministers are God's fellow workmen.
11. Christ the only foundation.
16. You are the temples of God, which must be kept holy.
19. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.














(2) Milk . . . meat.--The use of the word "infant" naturally suggests these two images for the higher wisdom and for the simpler truths of the gospel respectively.

Hitherto ye were not able.--Better, for ye were not yet able. Up to this point the Apostle has been speaking of the condition in which he found the Corinthians when he came first to Corinth, and he proceeds from this to rebuke them for continuing in this condition. He does not blame them for having been "babes" at the outset, but he does in the following passage blame them for not having yet grown up out of infancy.

(2, 3) Neither yet now are ye able, for ye are yet carnal.--Better, but not even now are ye able, for ye are still carnal. It is for this absence of growth--for their continuing up to this time in the same condition--that the Apostle reproaches them; and he shows that the fault which they find with him for not having given them more advanced teaching really lies at their own door.

Verse 2. - I fed you with milk. The metaphor is expanded in Hebrews 5:13, "Every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the Word of righteousness; for he is a babe." The same metaphor is found in Philo; and the young pupils of the rabbis were called "sucklings" (תינוקות) and "little ones" (camp. Matthew 10:42). Not with meat; not with solid food, which is for full grown or spiritually perfect men (Hebrews 5:14). For hitherto; rather, for ye were not yet - when I preached to you - able to bear it. The same phrase is used by our Lord in John 16:12, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now;" and he taught them in parables, "as they were able to bear it" (Mark 4:33). Not even now are ye able. Though you imagine that you have advanced so far beyond my simpler teaching.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
I gave you
ἐπότισα (epotisa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4222: To cause to drink, give to drink; irrigate, water. From a derivative of the alternate of pino; to furnish drink, irrigate.

milk,
γάλα (gala)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1051: Milk. Of uncertain affinity; milk.

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

solid food,
βρῶμα (brōma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1033: Food of any kind. From the base of bibrosko; food, especially articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

you were not yet ready [for solid food].
ἐδύνασθε (edynasthe)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

In fact,
Ἀλλ’ (All’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

you are still not ready,
δύνασθε (dynasthe)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 3:2 I fed you with milk not (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 3:1
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