1 Corinthians 4
1 So, people ought to consider us [apostles] (OR, Apollos and me) to be [merely] servants of Christ. God has given to us [(exc) the work of] telling others the message that God has now revealed to us.
ουτως ημας λογιζεσθω ανθρωπος ως υπηρετας χριστου και οικονομους μυστηριων θεου
2 With respect to doing that, those who are given work are required {give others some work to do require them} to do that work faithfully.
ο δε λοιπον ζητειται εν τοις οικονομοις ινα πιστος τις ευρεθη
3 I am not concerned whether you or [the judges in] some court decide whether I have done my work faithfully or not. I do not even judge myself [about that].
εμοι δε εις ελαχιστον εστιν ινα υφ υμων ανακριθω η υπο ανθρωπινης ημερας αλλ ουδε εμαυτον ανακρινω
4 I do not think that I have done anything wrong, but that does not prove that I have done nothing wrong. The Lord is the one who judges me.
ουδεν γαρ εμαυτω συνοιδα αλλ ουκ εν τουτω δεδικαιωμαι ο δε ανακρινων με κυριος εστιν
5 So, stop evaluating any of us [(exc)] before the time [when God judges everyone] [MTY]! Do not judge us before the Lord comes. He is the one who will reveal the sinful things that people have done secretly. He will even reveal what people have thought. At that time God will praise each person as [each one of them deserves].
ωστε μη προ καιρου τι κρινετε εως αν ελθη ο κυριος ος και φωτισει τα κρυπτα του σκοτους και φανερωσει τας βουλας των καρδιων και τοτε ο επαινος γενησεται εκαστω απο του θεου
6 My fellow believers, I have [told you] all these things as illustrations of myself and Apollos. I have done this for your sake, in order that you may learn [to live according to] the saying, “Do not act contrary to what is {what they have} written [in the Scriptures].” If you follow that rule, you will not be proud of one [spiritual leader] and despise another.
ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου
7 (No one has made any of you superior to others!/Why do any of you think that you are superior to others?) [RHQ] [All the abilities] that you have, you received [from God]. [RHQ] So if you received them all [from God], (you should not boast [thinking], “I got these abilities [from myself], [not from God]!”/why do you boast [thinking], “I got these abilities [from myself], [not from God]?”) [RHQ]
τις γαρ σε διακρινει τι δε εχεις ο ουκ ελαβες ει δε και ελαβες τι καυχασαι ως μη λαβων
8 [It is disgusting that you act as though] [IRO] you have already received everything that you need [spiritually]. You act as though [IRO] you were [spiritually] rich (OR, you had received all [the spiritual gifts you need]). You act as though [IRO] you had already begun to rule as kings with Christ. Well, I wish that you really were ruling [with him], in order that we [apostles] might also rule with you!
ηδη κεκορεσμενοι εστε ηδη επλουτησατε χωρις ημων εβασιλευσατε και οφελον γε εβασιλευσατε ινα και ημεις υμιν συμβασιλευσωμεν
9 But it seems as though God has put us [apostles] on display, [like prisoners] at the end [of the victor’s parade]. We [(exc)] are like men who have been condemned to die, who have been put in the arena where everyone can see [the wild animals] killing them. And not only people, but even angels all over the world [are watching us, as people] watch those who are performing a play [in a theater].
δοκω γαρ οτι ο θεος ημας τους αποστολους εσχατους απεδειξεν ως επιθανατιους οτι θεατρον εγενηθημεν τω κοσμω και αγγελοις και ανθρωποις
10 Many people consider us to be [IRO] fools because [we preach about] Christ, but you proudly [think [IRO] that] you are wise because (of your close relationship with/you belong to) Christ. Many people [consider us] [IRO] to be unimpressive, but you [proudly think that you] impress others. People respect you, but they do not respect us.
ημεις μωροι δια χριστον υμεις δε φρονιμοι εν χριστω ημεις ασθενεις υμεις δε ισχυροι υμεις ενδοξοι ημεις δε ατιμοι
11 Up to this present time we have often been hungry. We have often been thirsty. We have ragged clothes. Often we have been beaten {others have beaten us}. We [have traveled so much that we] have no regular homes to live in.
αχρι της αρτι ωρας και πεινωμεν και διψωμεν και γυμνητευομεν και κολαφιζομεθα και αστατουμεν
12 We work very hard [to earn a living]. When we are cursed [by people] {When [people] curse us}, we [ask God to] bless them. When we are persecuted {When [people] cause us to suffer}, we endure it.
και κοπιωμεν εργαζομενοι ταις ιδιαις χερσιν λοιδορουμενοι ευλογουμεν διωκομενοι ανεχομεθα
13 When we are slandered [by people] {When [people] slander us}, we reply kindly to them. Up to now, [unbelievers consider us to be worthless] [MET], [as though we were] just garbage.
βλασφημουμενοι παρακαλουμεν ως περικαθαρματα του κοσμου εγενηθημεν παντων περιψημα εως αρτι
14 I am writing this to you, not to make you feel ashamed, but instead to warn you as [though you were] my own dear children.
ουκ εντρεπων υμας γραφω ταυτα αλλ ως τεκνα μου αγαπητα νουθετω
15 I say that because as [an apostle of] Christ Jesus I [was the first one who] proclaimed the good message to you. As a result, I was the one who enabled you to have eternal life. So even if there were thousands of Christians who instruct you [MET], I am the only one who became [like] a father to you.
εαν γαρ μυριους παιδαγωγους εχητε εν χριστω αλλ ου πολλους πατερας εν γαρ χριστω ιησου δια του ευαγγελιου εγω υμας εγεννησα
16 So I urge you to [live for Christ] the way I do.
παρακαλω ουν υμας μιμηται μου γινεσθε
17 In order to [help you do that], I have sent/will be sending Timothy to you. I love him [as though he were] my son. He serves the Lord faithfully. He will remind you of the way I conduct my life [as one who] (has a close relationship with/belongs to) the Lord. The way I conduct my life is the same as how I teach [others to live] in all the congregations [to whom I have spoken].
δια τουτο επεμψα υμιν τιμοθεον ος εστιν τεκνον μου αγαπητον και πιστον εν κυριω ος υμας αναμνησει τας οδους μου τας εν χριστω καθως πανταχου εν παση εκκλησια διδασκω
18 Some of you have become proud, thinking that I will not come there [to rebuke your congregation about what they are doing].
ως μη ερχομενου δε μου προς υμας εφυσιωθησαν τινες
19 But if the Lord wants me to come, I will come to you soon. Then I will not [pay any attention to] what those proud people say. Instead, I will find out [whether they have God’s] power.
ελευσομαι δε ταχεως προς υμας εαν ο κυριος θεληση και γνωσομαι ου τον λογον των πεφυσιωμενων αλλα την δυναμιν
20 Remember that God [judges whether or not we are letting him] rule [our lives], not by [listening to how we] talk, but [by seeing whether his] power [is present] ([among us/in our lives]).
ου γαρ εν λογω η βασιλεια του θεου αλλ εν δυναμει
21 So which do you prefer? Do you want me to come to you and punish you [because you have not changed your ways], or shall I come to you and act lovingly and gently toward you [because you have done what I told you to do]?
τι θελετε εν ραβδω ελθω προς υμας η εν αγαπη πνευματι τε πραοτητος
