1 Corinthians 4

1 People ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

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

2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

Now it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3 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.

But to me it is of very small moment to be judged by you, or by any man's judgement; nor indeed do I judge myself:

4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not thereby acquitted; but he who judges me is the Lord.

(for I am conscious to myself of nothing; though I am not hereby justified; ) but He that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 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.

Wherefore judge nothing before the time; even until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every one have praise from God.

6 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.

These things, my brethren, I have by a figure transferred to myself, and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye may learn in us not to be wise above what is written, that ye may not be puffed up for one against another.

7 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?

For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou, which thou didst not receive? And if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

8 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!

Ye are now full, ye are now rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 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.

For it seems to me that God hath as it were exhibited us the apostles last upon the stage as appointed to death; for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men.

10 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.

We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honoured, but we are despised.

11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst; we are poorly clothed and beaten down, with no home of our own.

Even to this present time we suffer both hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling:

12 We labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

and we labour working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless: when persecuted, we bear it: when defamed, we intreat.

13 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.

We are made as the filth of the world, and the refuse of all things to this day.

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but rather I am admonishing you as my beloved children.

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

15 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.

for if ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you to be imitators of me.

I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

17 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.

For this end have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who will bring to your remembrance my ways in Christ, how I teach every where in every church.

18 But some of you have become puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

Now some are puffed up, as if I would not come to you.

19 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.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord please, and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power:

20 For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not by talk but by power.

for the kingdom of God consisteth not in speech, but in power.

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

What do ye chuse? that I should come to you with a rod? or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?