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.
Así es preciso que los hombres nos miren: como a siervos de Cristo y distribuidores de los misterios de Dios.
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.
Ahora bien, lo que se requiere en los distribuidores es hallar que uno sea fiel.
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].
En cuanto a mí, muy poco me importa ser juzgado por vosotros o por tribunal humano; pero tampoco me juzgo a mí mismo.
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.
Pues aunque de nada me acusa la conciencia, no por esto estoy justificado. El que me juzga es el Señor.
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].
Por tanto, no juzguéis nada antes de tiempo, hasta que venga el Señor; el cual sacará a luz los secretos de las tinieblas y pondrá de manifiesto los designios de los corazones, y entonces a cada uno le vendrá de Dios su alabanza.
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.
Estas cosas, hermanos, las he aplicado figuradamente a mí mismo y a Apolo, por vuestra causa; para que aprendáis en nosotros a “no ir más allá de lo escrito”; para que no os infléis de orgullo como partidarios del uno en perjuicio del otro.
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]
Porque ¿quién es el que te hace distinguirte? ¿Qué tienes que no hayas recibido? Y si lo recibiste ¿de qué te jactas, como si no lo hubieses recibido?
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!
Ya estáis hartos; ya estáis ricos; sin nosotros habéis llegado a reinar... y ¡ojalá que reinaseis, para que nosotros también reinásemos con vosotros!
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].
Pues creo que Dios, a nosotros los apóstoles, nos exhibió como los últimos ( de todos ), como destinados a muerte; porque hemos venido a ser espectáculo para el mundo, para los ángeles y para los hombres.
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.
Nosotros somos insensatos por Cristo, mas vosotros, sabios en Cristo; nosotros débiles, vosotros fuertes; vosotros gloriosos, nosotros despreciados.
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.
Hasta la hora presente sufrimos hambre y sed, andamos desnudos, y somos abofeteados, y no tenemos domicilio.
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.
Nos afanamos trabajando con nuestras manos; afrentados, bendecimos; perseguidos, sufrimos;
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.
infamados, rogamos; hemos venido a ser como la basura del mundo, y el desecho de todos, hasta el día de hoy.
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.
No escribo estas líneas para avergonzaros, sino que os amonesto como a hijos míos queridos.
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.
Pues aunque tuvierais diez mil pedagogos en Cristo, no tenéis muchos padres; porque en Cristo Jesús os engendré yo por medio del Evangelio.
16 So I urge you to [live for Christ] the way I do.
Por lo cual, os ruego, haceos imitadores míos como yo de Cristo.
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].
Por eso mismo os envié a Timoteo, el cual es mi hijo querido y fiel en el Señor. Él os recordará mis caminos en Cristo, según lo que por doquier enseño en todas las Iglesias.
18 Some of you have become proud, thinking that I will not come there [to rebuke your congregation about what they are doing].
Algunos se han engreído, como si yo no hubiese ya de volver a vosotros.
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.
Mas he de ir, y pronto si el Señor quiere; y conoceré, no las palabras de esos hinchados, sino su fuerza.
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]).
Pues no en palabras consiste el reino de Dios, sino en fuerza.
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]?
¿Qué queréis? ¿Que vaya a vosotros con la vara, o con amor y con espíritu de mansedumbre?
