1 Corinthians 4
1 This is how a person should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the hidden truths of God.
Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God.
2 Now what is required of stewards is that they are found to be trustworthy.
Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful.
3 But for me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. For I do not even judge myself.
But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man’s day; but neither do I judge my own self.
4 I am not aware of any charge being made against me, but that does not mean I am innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
For I am not conscious to myself of any thing, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me, is the Lord.
5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment about anything before the time, before the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his praise from God.
Therefore judge not before the time; until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise from God.
6 Now, brothers, I applied these principles to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that from us you might learn the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” This is so that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against the other.
But these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo, for your sakes; that in us you may learn, that one be not puffed up against the other for another, above that which is written.
7 For who sees any difference between you and others? What do you have that you did not freely receive? If you have freely received it, why do you boast as if you had not done so?
For who distinguisheth thee? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
8 Already you have all you could want! Already you have become rich! You began to reign—and that quite apart from us! Indeed, I wish you did reign, so that we could reign with you.
You are now full; you are now become rich; you reign without us; and I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think God has put us apostles on display as the last in line in a procession and like men sentenced to death. We have become a spectacle to the world—to angels, and to human beings.
For I think that God hath set forth us apostles, the last, as it were men appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we are held in dishonor.
We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honourable, but we without honour.
11 Up to this present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally beaten, and we are homeless.
Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode;
12 We work hard, 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: we are reviled, and we bless; we are persecuted, and we suffer it.
13 When we are slandered, we speak with kindness. We have become, and are still considered to be, the refuse of the world and the filthiest of all things.
We are blasphemed, and we entreat; we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all even until now.
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to correct you as my beloved children.
I write not these things to confound you; but I admonish you as my dearest children.
15 For even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
16 So I urge you to be imitators of me.
Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.
17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach them everywhere and in every church.
For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord; who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus; as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some of you have become arrogant, acting as though I were not coming to you.
As if I would not come to you, so some are puffed up.
19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills. Then I will know not merely the talk of these who are so arrogant, but I will see their power.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will: and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
For the kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power.
21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?
What will you? shall I come to you with a rod; or in charity, and in the spirit of meekness?
