1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man so thinke of vs, as of the ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God:

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

2 And as for the rest, it is required of the disposers, that euery man be found faithfull.

Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful.

3 As touching me, I passe very litle to be iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: no, I iudge not mine owne selfe.

But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man’s day; but neither do I judge my own self.

4 For I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified: but he that iudgeth me, is the Lord.

For I am not conscious to myself of any thing, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me, is the Lord.

5 Therefore iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse, and make the counsels of the hearts manifest: and then shall euery man haue praise of God.

Therefore judge not before the time; until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise from God.

6 Nowe these things, brethren, I haue figuratiuely applied vnto mine owne selfe and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye might learne by vs, that no man presume aboue that which is written, that one swell not against another for any mans cause.

But these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo, for your sakes; that in us you may learn, that one be not puffed up against the other for another, above that which is written.

7 For who separateth thee? and what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? if thou hast receiued it, why reioycest thou, as though thou haddest not receiued it?

For who distinguisheth thee? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 Nowe ye are full: nowe ye are made rich: ye reigne as kings without vs, and would to God ye did reigne, that we also might reigne with you.

You are now full; you are now become rich; you reign without us; and I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 For I thinke that God hath set forth vs the last Apostles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gasing stocke vnto the worlde, and to the Angels, and to men.

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

10 We are fooles for Christes sake, and ye are wise in Christ: we are weake, and ye are strong: ye are honourable, and we are despised.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honourable, but we without honour.

11 Vnto this houre we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and haue no certaine dwelling place,

Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode;

12 And labour, working with our owne handes: we are reuiled, and yet we blesse: we are persecuted, and suffer it.

And we labour, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and we bless; we are persecuted, and we suffer it.

13 We are euill spoken of, and we pray: we are made as the filth of the world, the offskowring of all things, vnto this time.

We are blasphemed, and we entreat; we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all even until now.

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

I write not these things to confound you; but I admonish you as my dearest children.

15 For though ye haue tenne thousand instructours in Christ, yet haue ye not many fathers: for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel.

For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.

16 Wherefore, I pray you, be ye folowers of me.

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.

17 For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus, which is my beloued sonne, and faithfull in the Lord, which shall put you in remembrance of my wayes in Christ as I teache euery where in euery Church.

For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord; who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus; as I teach every where in every church.

18 Some are puffed vp as though I woulde not come vnto you.

As if I would not come to you, so some are puffed up.

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will knowe, not the wordes of them which are puffed vp, but the power.

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

20 For the kingdome of God is not in worde, but in power.

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

21 What will ye? shall I come vnto you with a rod, or in loue, and in ye spirite of meekenes?

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