1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,

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

2 and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,

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

3 and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man's day, but not even myself do I judge,

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 of nothing to myself have I been conscious, but not in this have I been declared right — and he who is discerning 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, nothing before the time judge ye, till the Lord may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise shall come to each 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 And these things, brethren, I did transfer to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us ye may learn not to think above that which hath been written, that ye may not be puffed up one for one against the other,

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 doth make thee to differ? and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and if thou didst also receive, why dost thou glory as not having received?

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 Already ye are having been filled, already ye were rich, apart from us ye did reign, and I would also ye did reign, that we also with you may reign together,

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 did set forth us the apostles last — as appointed to death, because a spectacle we became to the world, and messengers, 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 because of Christ, and ye wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and ye strong; ye glorious, and we dishonoured;

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 unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander about,

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

12 and labour, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer;

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

13 being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become — of all things an offscouring — till now.

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

14 Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but as my beloved children I do admonish,

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

15 for if a myriad of child-conductors ye may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I — I did beget you;

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 I call upon you, therefore, become ye followers of me;

I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

17 because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who shall remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.

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 And as if I were not coming unto you certain were puffed up;

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

19 but I will come quickly unto you, if the Lord may will, and I will know not the word of those puffed up, but the 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 not in word is the reign of God, but in power?

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

21 what do ye wish? with a rod shall I come unto you, or in love, with a spirit also of meekness?

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