1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,

So, people ought to consider us [apostles] (OR, Apollos and me) to be [merely] servants of Christ. God has given to us [(exc) the work of] telling others the message that God has now revealed to us.

2 and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,

With respect to doing that, those who are given work are required {give others some work to do require them} to do that work faithfully.

3 and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man’s Day, but I do not even judge myself,

I am not concerned whether you or [the judges in] some court decide whether I have done my work faithfully or not. I do not even judge myself [about that].

4 for I have been conscious of nothing for myself, but I have not been declared right in this—and He who is discerning me is the LORD:

I do not think that I have done anything wrong, but that does not prove that I have done nothing wrong. The Lord is the one who judges me.

5 so, then, judge nothing before the time, until the LORD may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will reveal the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise will come to each from God.

So, stop evaluating any of us [(exc)] before the time [when God judges everyone] [MTY]! Do not judge us before the Lord comes. He is the one who will reveal the sinful things that people have done secretly. He will even reveal what people have thought. At that time God will praise each person as [each one of them deserves].

6 And these things, brothers, I transferred to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us you may learn not to think above that which has been written, that you may not be puffed up one for one against the other,

My fellow believers, I have [told you] all these things as illustrations of myself and Apollos. I have done this for your sake, in order that you may learn [to live according to] the saying, “Do not act contrary to what is {what they have} written [in the Scriptures].” If you follow that rule, you will not be proud of one [spiritual leader] and despise another.

7 for who makes you to differ? And what do you have, that you did not receive? And if you also received, why do you glory as not having received?

(No one has made any of you superior to others!/Why do any of you think that you are superior to others?) [RHQ] [All the abilities] that you have, you received [from God]. [RHQ] So if you received them all [from God], (you should not boast [thinking], “I got these abilities [from myself], [not from God]!”/why do you boast [thinking], “I got these abilities [from myself], [not from God]?”) [RHQ]

8 Already you are having been filled, already you were rich, apart from us you reigned, and I also wish you reigned, that we also may reign together with you,

[It is disgusting that you act as though] [IRO] you have already received everything that you need [spiritually]. You act as though [IRO] you were [spiritually] rich (OR, you had received all [the spiritual gifts you need]). You act as though [IRO] you had already begun to rule as kings with Christ. Well, I wish that you really were ruling [with him], in order that we [apostles] might also rule with you!

9 for I think that God set forth us the apostles last—as appointed to death, because we became a spectacle to the world, and messengers, and men;

But it seems as though God has put us [apostles] on display, [like prisoners] at the end [of the victor’s parade]. We [(exc)] are like men who have been condemned to die, who have been put in the arena where everyone can see [the wild animals] killing them. And not only people, but even angels all over the world [are watching us, as people] watch those who are performing a play [in a theater].

10 we [are] fools because of Christ, and you wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and you strong; you glorious, and we dishonored;

Many people consider us to be [IRO] fools because [we preach about] Christ, but you proudly [think [IRO] that] you are wise because (of your close relationship with/you belong to) Christ. Many people [consider us] [IRO] to be unimpressive, but you [proudly think that you] impress others. People respect you, but they do not respect us.

11 to the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are battered, and wander,

Up to this present time we have often been hungry. We have often been thirsty. We have ragged clothes. Often we have been beaten {others have beaten us}. We [have traveled so much that we] have no regular homes to live in.

12 and labor, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

We work very hard [to earn a living]. When we are cursed [by people] {When [people] curse us}, we [ask God to] bless them. When we are persecuted {When [people] cause us to suffer}, we endure it.

13 being spoken evil of, we plead; we became as filth of the world—of all things an outcast—until now.

When we are slandered [by people] {When [people] slander us}, we reply kindly to them. Up to now, [unbelievers consider us to be worthless] [MET], [as though we were] just garbage.

14 Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but I admonish as my beloved children,

I am writing this to you, not to make you feel ashamed, but instead to warn you as [though you were] my own dear children.

15 for if a myriad of child-conductors you may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I begot you;

I say that because as [an apostle of] Christ Jesus I [was the first one who] proclaimed the good message to you. As a result, I was the one who enabled you to have eternal life. So even if there were thousands of Christians who instruct you [MET], I am the only one who became [like] a father to you.

16 I call on you, therefore, become followers of me;

So I urge you to [live for Christ] the way I do.

17 because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the LORD, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.

In order to [help you do that], I have sent/will be sending Timothy to you. I love him [as though he were] my son. He serves the Lord faithfully. He will remind you of the way I conduct my life [as one who] (has a close relationship with/belongs to) the Lord. The way I conduct my life is the same as how I teach [others to live] in all the congregations [to whom I have spoken].

18 And some were puffed up as if I were not coming to you;

Some of you have become proud, thinking that I will not come there [to rebuke your congregation about what they are doing].

19 but I will come quickly to you, if the LORD may will, and I will not know the word of those puffed up, but the power;

But if the Lord wants me to come, I will come to you soon. Then I will not [pay any attention to] what those proud people say. Instead, I will find out [whether they have God’s] power.

20 for not in word is the Kingdom of God, but in power.

Remember that God [judges whether or not we are letting him] rule [our lives], not by [listening to how we] talk, but [by seeing whether his] power [is present] ([among us/in our lives]).

21 What do you wish? Will I come to you with a rod, or in love, also with a spirit of meekness?

So which do you prefer? Do you want me to come to you and punish you [because you have not changed your ways], or shall I come to you and act lovingly and gently toward you [because you have done what I told you to do]?