Misinterpretations often portray Paul as downplaying baptism's importance or suggesting it should never invoke a human name, ignoring the context of Corinthian divisions where followers boasted 'I am of Paul'; another error assumes Paul regretted all baptisms, whereas he only limits his own to prevent personality cults, affirming baptism's validity when not exploited for schism.
I Corinthians 1:15
King James Version (1769)
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
Paul expresses relief at having baptized few Corinthians personally, lest anyone claim he performed baptisms 'in mine own name,' thereby fostering factions loyal to him rather than Christ; this underscores his deliberate avoidance of building a personal following, emphasizing unity in the gospel over divisions caused by allegiance to human leaders like himself, Apollos, or Cephas.