1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man, so, be reckoning of us, as officers of Christ, and stewards of sacred secrets of God.
People ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards, that, faithful, one be found.
Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
3 With me, however, it counteth for the very smallest thing, that, by you, I should be examined, or by a human day. Nay! I am not even examining myself,
But for me it is a very small thing if I am judged by you, or by any human court. Indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4 For, of nothing, to myself, am I conscious: nevertheless, not hereby, am I declared righteous, but, he that doth examine me, is the Lord.
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not thereby acquitted; but he who judges me is the Lord.
5 So then, not before the fitting time, be judging anything, —until the Lord shall come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and, then, the praise shall come to each one, from God.
So then, do not judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes, who will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart. At that time each person will receive his praise from God.
6 But, these things, brethren, have I transferred unto myself and Apollos, for your sakes, that, in us, ye might learn [the lesson] —Not beyond the things that are written…! that ye do not puff yourselves up, individually, for this one against that.
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that through us you may learn not to think beyond what is written, so that you may not be puffed up, with each one of you supporting one man against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou didst not receive? But, if thou didst even receive it, why dost thou boast, as though thou hadst not received it?
For who regards yoʋ as superior? What do yoʋ have that yoʋ did not receive? And if yoʋ received it, why do yoʋ boast as though yoʋ did not receive it?
8 Already, ye have become full, already, ye are become rich, —apart from us, ye are become kings! And I would indeed ye had become kings, that, we also, with you, might have together become kings!
You are already full! You have already become rich! You have begun to reign without us! And how I wish that you really were reigning, so that we could reign with you!
9 For I think that, God, hath set forth, us the apostles, to be last of all, as men devoted to death, —in that, a spectacle, have we been made, unto the world, —both unto messengers and unto men.
For I think that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, as sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.
10 We, are foolish for Christ’s sake, but, ye, prudent in Christ; we are weak, but, ye, mighty; ye, all-glorious, but, we, dishonoured.
We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are esteemed, but we are dishonored.
11 Until the present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and are wanderers,
To the present hour we hunger and thirst; we are poorly clothed and beaten down, with no home of our own.
12 And toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we hold on,
We labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
13 Being defamed, we beseech: as the sweepings of the world have we become, the offscouring of all—until even now.
when we are slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the scum of all things, even to this present time.
14 Not, to shame you, write I these things; but, as my beloved children, I admonish you.
I am not writing this to shame you, but rather I am admonishing you as my beloved children.
15 For, though myriads of tutors ye should have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for, in Christ Jesus, through means of the joyful message, I, begat you.
For even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you would not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I became a father to you through the gospel.
16 I beseech you, therefore, —become imitators of me.
Therefore I urge you to be imitators of me.
17 For this cause, sent I unto you, Timothy, —who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put, you, in mind of my ways which are in Christ [Jesus], even as, everywhere, in every assembly, I teach.
That is why I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach them everywhere in every church.
18 But, as though I were not coming unto you, some are puffed up!
But some of you have become puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19 Howbeit, I will come quickly unto you, —if, the Lord, please, —and will get to know—not the speech of them who are puffed up, but, the power;
But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of those who have become puffed up, but their power.
20 For, not in speech, is the kingdom of God, but, in power.
For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not by talk but by power.
21 What will ye? that, with a rod, I should come unto you? or, with love, and a spirit of meekness?
What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
