1 Corinthians 4

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

Let a man consider us like this: as Christ's subordinates and stewards of God's mysteries.

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

Moreover, what is required of stewards is that each 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.

So to me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court; in fact, I do not even judge myself.

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 conscious of nothing against myself, although I am not justified by this; it is the Lord who judges me.

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 nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and expose the motives of the hearts. At that time the praise that comes to each will be 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.

I have illustrated these things using myself and Apollos, brothers, for your sakes, so that you may learn from us not to think beyond what is written, that no one of you be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

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?

Now who is distinguishing you? Or what do you have that you did not receive? So if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

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 already stuffed! You are already rich! You have become ‘kings’ without us! I could wish that you really did reign, so that we might be kings with you too!

9 For, I think that God has displayed us, the emissaries, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and people.

For I keep thinking that God has displayed us, the apostles, at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death; because we have been made a spectacle to the world, both 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 while you are wise! We are weak but you are strong! You are esteemed, we are despised!

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

To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty; we are poorly dressed, brutally treated, and wander homeless;

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

yes, we labor, working with our own hands. Upon being reviled, we bless; upon being persecuted, we endure it;

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

upon being slandered, we exhort. We have been made as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of whatever, to this moment.

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

I am not writing these things to shame you; I am admonishing you as my dear children.

15 For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, yet not many fathers. For in Messiah Yeshua, I became your father through the Good News.

Because even if you were to have thousands of tutors in Christ, you would not have many fathers, because I am the one who begot you in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel.

16 I appeal to you therefore, be imitators of me.

Therefore I am urging you, become my imitators.

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 congregation.

That is why I sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful son in Sovereign, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every congregation.

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

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

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 wills, and I will know, not the word of those who have been puffed up, but the power.

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

Because the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

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

What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a gentle spirit?