1 Corinthians 4

1 So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.

Let people look on us as Christ’s servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.

2 Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I do not even judge my own self.

But it weighs very little with me that I am judged by you or by any human tribunal. No, I do not even judge myself;

4 For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

for, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

Therefore do not pass judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes. He will throw light on what is now dark and obscure, and will reveal the motives in people’s minds; and then everyone will receive due praise from God.

6 Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

All this, friends, I have, for your sakes, applied to Apollos and myself, so that, from our example, you may learn to observe the precept – “Keep to what is written,” that none of you may speak boastfully of one teacher to the disparagement of another.

7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

For who makes any one of you superior to others? And what have you that was not given you? But if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as if you had not?

8 You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

Are you all so soon satisfied? Are you so soon rich? Have you begun to reign without us? Would indeed that you had, so that we also might reign with you!

9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

For, as it seems to me, God has exhibited us, the apostles, last of all, as people doomed to death. We are made a spectacle to the universe, both to angels and to people!

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

We, for Christ’s sake, are fools, but you, by your union with Christ, are people of discernment. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honoured, but we are despised.

11 Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;

12 We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

we work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,

13 Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

we meet slander with gentle appeals. We have been treated as the scum of the earth, the vilest of the vile, to this very hour.

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.

15 For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

Though you may have thousands of instructors in the faith of Christ, yet you have not many fathers. It was I who, through union with Christ Jesus, became your father by means of the good news.

16 I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

Therefore I entreat you – Follow my example.

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

This is my reason for sending Timothy to you. He is my own dear faithful child in the Master’s service, and he will remind you of my methods of teaching the faith of Christ Jesus – methods which I follow everywhere in every church.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

Some, I hear, are puffed up with pride, thinking that I am not coming to you.

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

But come to you I will, and that soon, if it please the Lord; and then I will find out, not what words these people use who are so puffed up, but what power they possess;

20 For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

for the kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.

21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?