1 Corinthians 4
1 Accordingly, let man consider us to be ministers of Christ and attendants of the mysteries of God.
Thus let a man regard us as of helpers of Christ, and managers of mysteries of God.
2 Here and now, it is required of attendants that each one be found to be faithful.
And beyond that, it is sought in managers that any man should be found faithful.
3 But as for me, it is such a small thing to be judged by you, or by the age of mankind. And neither do I judge myself.
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,
4 For I have nothing on my conscience. But I am not justified by this. For the Lord is the One who judges me.
for I know nothing on myself. Yet I have not been made righteous in this, but he who appraises me is the Lord.
5 And so, do not choose to judge before the time, until the Lord returns. He will illuminate the hidden things of the darkness, and he will make manifest the decisions of hearts. And then each one shall have praise from God.
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.
6 And so, brothers, I have presented these things in myself and in Apollo, for your sakes, so that you may learn, through us, that no one should be inflated against one person and for another, not beyond what has been written.
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.
7 For what distinguishes you from another? And what do you have that you have not received? But if you have received it, why do you glory, as if you had not received it?
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?
8 So, now you have been filled, and now you have been made wealthy, as if to reign without us? But I wish that you would reign, so that we, too, might reign with you!
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.
9 For I think that God has presented us as the last Apostles, as those destined for death. For we have been made into a spectacle for the world, and for Angels, and for men.
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.
10 So we are fools because of Christ, but you are discerning in Christ? We are weak, but you are strong? You are noble, but we are ignoble?
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.
11 Even to this very hour, we hunger and thirst, and we are naked and repeatedly beaten, and we are unsteady.
As far as the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are ill clothed, and are treated roughly, and are homeless.
12 And we labor, working with our own hands. We are slandered, and so we bless. We suffer and endure persecution.
And we toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
13 We are cursed, and so we pray. We have become like the refuse of this world, like the reside of everything, even until now.
being slandered, we entreat. We became as trash of the world, an offscouring of all things, until now.
14 I am not writing these things in order to confound you, but in order to admonish you, as my dearest sons.
I do not write these things shaming you, but I warn you as my beloved children.
15 For you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, but not so many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, I have begotten you.
For though ye have countless instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the good news.
16 Therefore, I beg you, be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.
I beseech you therefore, become followers of me.
17 For this reason, I have sent you Timothy, who is my dearest son, and who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere, in every church.
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.
18 Certain persons have become inflated in thinking that I would not return to you.
But as of me not coming to you, some men are puffed up.
19 But I will return to you soon, if the Lord is willing. And I will consider, not the words of those who are inflated, but the virtue.
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.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in virtue.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What would you prefer? Should I return to you with a rod, or with charity and a spirit of meekness?
What do ye want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness?
