1 Corinthians 4

1 So a person should consider us as Messiah's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries.

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

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

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

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I do not judge my own self.

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 against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges 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 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 one will get his praise from 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 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 go beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

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 makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received 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 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.

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 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 people.

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 fools for Messiah's sake, but you are wise in Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, yet not many fathers. For in Messiah Jesus, I became your father 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 I appeal to you therefore, be imitators of me.

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

17 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 Messiah, even as I teach everywhere in every 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 Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to 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 is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, 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 Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

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

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

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