Paul refers again to the splinter groups by asking who Paul and Apollos are. He answers his own question by saying that both are God's servants, partners working together for God. It is clear that he regards Apollos as an apostle, authorized and sent by God to preach to the Corinthians. 'I sowed the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow.' Paul then moves to another metaphor for the work of establishing the church. 'You are also God's building. Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and another man is building on it. But each must be careful how he builds. For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid' (3:9b-11). Paul then goes on to say that whatever work is done to build up the church on the foundation that has been laid will be tested when Jesus Christ returns. He is warning the Corinthians not to do anything to wreck the work which he, followed by Apollos, had done for God in Corinth. If the Corinthians did destroy their unity in Christ, they would face the judgment of Christ when he returned in glory.

Paul returns again to the thought of God's Wisdom, contrasted with what the people of the world consider to be wisdom. Paul, Apollos and Peter are not only the servants of God but the servants of the church in Corinth. Why, then, are the Corinthians quarrelling over which apostle is the most important? The whole Christian community, along with Paul, Apollos and Peter, belong to Christ and to God, and are therefore bound together in unity, belonging to one another.