1 Corinthians 4

1 So think of us as Christ's servants given the responsibility for “the mysteries of God.”

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

2 More than this, those who have such responsibilities are required to be trustworthy.

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

3 Personally it hardly matters to me if you or anyone else judges me—in fact I don't even judge myself.

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

4 I don't know of anything I've done wrong, but that doesn't make me morally right. It's the Lord who judges me.

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

5 So don't judge anything before the right time—when the Lord comes. He will bring to light all the darkest secrets that are hidden, and he will reveal people's motives. God will give everyone whatever praise they deserve.

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.

6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself as an example for you. That way you will learn not to go beyond what has been written, and not in arrogance prefer one over the other.

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.

7 Who made you so special? What do you have that you weren't given? Since you were given it, why do you proudly claim you weren't?

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

8 You think you have all you need. You think you're so wealthy. You think you're kings already, and don't need us. I wish you were really ruling as kings, so we could rule with you!

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!

9 The way I see it, God has put us apostles on display as the last in the line, condemned to die. We have been made a public show before the entire universe, to angels and to human beings.

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.

10 We're Christ's fools, but you are so wise in Christ! We're the weak ones, but you are so strong! You have the glory, but we are despised!

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honour, but we have dishonour.

11 Right up till now we're hungry and thirsty. We have no clothes. We're badly beaten up, and we have no place to call home.

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

12 We struggle on doing manual work. When people curse us, we bless them. When they persecute us, we put up with it.

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

13 When they insult us, we respond with kindness. Even now we are treated like dirt, the worst trash in the whole world.

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

14 I'm not writing like this to make you feel ashamed, but to caution you as my children whom I love so much.

I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 Even though you may have thousands of Christian instructors, you don't have many fathers—it was in Christ Jesus that I became your father when I shared the good news with you.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

16 So I'm pleading with you to imitate me!

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

17 That's why I sent Timothy to you, my trustworthy son in the Lord who I love so much. He will remind you about the way I follow Christ, just as I always teach in every church I visit.

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.

18 Some among you have become arrogant, thinking I wouldn't bother coming to see you.

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

19 But I am coming to visit you soon, if that's what the Lord wants. Then I'll find out what these arrogant people are saying, and what kind of power they have.

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.

20 For the kingdom of God is not about mere words, but about power.

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

21 So what do you want? Shall I come with a stick to beat you, or in love and a gentle spirit?

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