1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Let people look on us as Christ’s servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man 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 of you, or of man’s judgment: yes, I judge not 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 by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that 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 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 of 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 And these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against 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 to differ from another? and what have you that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory, 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 Now you are full, now you are rich, you have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God 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 set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to 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 are honorable, but we are despised.
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 honored, but we are despised.
11 Even to this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;
To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;
12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
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, and are the offscouring of all things to this day.
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 write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
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 instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you 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 Why I beseech you, be you followers of me.
Therefore I entreat you – Follow my example.
17 For this cause have I sent to you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where 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 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come 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 will, and will know, not the speech of them which 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 the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
for the kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.
21 What will you? shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?
