1 Corinthians 4

1 Thus let a man regard us as of helpers of Christ, and managers of mysteries of God.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 And beyond that, it is sought in managers that any man should be found faithful.

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3 But it is a very small thing to me that I might be appraised by you or by a day of mankind. Yet neither do I appraise myself,

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment: yea, I judge not my own self.

4 for I know nothing on myself. Yet I have not been made righteous in this, but he who appraises me is the Lord.

For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make public the deliberations of the hearts. And then praise will come to each man from God.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord shall come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will reveal the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.

6 Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye may learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you on account of one may be puffed up against another.

7 For who makes thee different? And what have thou that thou did not receive? And also if thou received it, why do thou boast as not having received it?

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 Already ye are filled. Already ye have become rich. Ye reigned without us, and O that ye did indeed reign, so that we also might reign with you.

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 For I think God has exhibited us the apostles least, as men sentenced to die, because we became a spectacle to the world, both to agents and to men.

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 We are foolish for the sake of Christ, but ye are wise in Christ. We are weak, but ye are strong. Ye are esteemed, but we are disreputable.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 As far as the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are ill clothed, and are treated roughly, and are homeless.

Even to this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 And we toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure it:

13 being slandered, we entreat. We became as trash of the world, an offscouring of all things, until now.

Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things to this day.

14 I do not write these things shaming you, but I warn you as my beloved children.

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15 For though ye have countless instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the good news.

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 I beseech you therefore, become followers of me.

Therefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17 Because of this I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every congregation.

For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18 But as of me not coming to you, some men are puffed up.

Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord should will, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them who are puffed up, but the power.

20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21 What do ye want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness?

What will ye? shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?