1 Corinthians 4

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

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

2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

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

3 I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

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 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

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 appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

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

6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

All this, Brothers, 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 so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

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 Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings 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 it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

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

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

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

11 To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

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

12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

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

13 when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

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 am not writing this to shame you, but to warn 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 Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

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 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

Therefore I entreat you — Follow my example.

17 That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

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 Some of you have become arrogant, as if 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 then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

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

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

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

21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

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