1 Corinthians 4

1 Let people look on us as Christ’s servants, and as stewards of the hidden truths of God.

So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.

2 Now what we look for in stewards is that they should be trustworthy.

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

3 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;

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I do not even judge my own self.

4 for, though I am conscious of nothing against myself, that does not prove me innocent. It is the Lord who is my judge.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

5 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.

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 man will get his praise from God.

6 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.

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 think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

7 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?

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?

8 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!

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!

9 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!

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 men.

10 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.

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

11 To this very hour we go hungry, thirsty, and naked; we are beaten; we are homeless;

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

12 we work hard, toiling with our own hands. We meet abuse with blessings, we meet persecution with endurance,

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

13 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.

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

14 It is with no wish to shame you that I am writing like this; but to warn you as my own dear children.

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

15 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.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

16 Therefore I entreat you – Follow my example.

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

17 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.

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 Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

18 Some, I hear, are puffed up with pride, thinking that I am not coming to you.

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

19 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;

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.

20 for the kingdom of God is based, not on words, but on power.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

21 What do you wish? Am I to come to you with a rod, or in a loving and gentle spirit?

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