1 Korintofoɔ 4

1 Ɛsɛ sɛ mobu yɛn sɛ Kristo asomfoɔ a wɔde Onyankopɔn ahintasɛm a ɛyɛ nokorɛ no ahyɛ yɛn nsa.

So think of us as Christ's servants given the responsibility for “the mysteries of God.”

2 Adeɛ baako a wɔrehwehwɛ afiri onipa a wɔde ahintasɛm no ahyɛ ne nsa no ne sɛ, ɔbɛdi ne wura no nokorɛ.

More than this, those who have such responsibilities are required to be trustworthy.

3 Sɛ mo anaa onipa bi bu me atɛn seesei a ɛmfa me ho. Mʼankasa nso memmu me ho atɛn.

Personally it hardly matters to me if you or anyone else judges me—in fact I don't even judge myself.

4 Mʼadwene mu yɛ fann, nanso ɛno nkyerɛ sɛ medi bem fitaa. Awurade nko ara na ɔbu me atɛn.

I don't know of anything I've done wrong, but that doesn't make me morally right. It's the Lord who judges me.

5 Enti, ɛnsɛ sɛ obiara bu ne yɔnko atɛn kɔsi sɛ ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ bɛba. Awurade ba mu no na wɔbɛbu atɛn a ɛtwa toɔ. Ɔbɛda deɛ ahinta wɔ sum mu no adi na wada deɛ ahinta wɔ nnipa akoma mu no nso adi. Na nkamfo a ɛsɛ sɛ onipa biara nya firi Onyankopɔn hɔ no, wɔakamfo no.

So don't judge anything before the right time—when the Lord comes. He will bring to light all the darkest secrets that are hidden, and he will reveal people's motives. God will give everyone whatever praise they deserve.

6 Anuanom, mo enti mede Apolo ne me ayɛ nhwɛsoɔ, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma mo asuasɛm a ɛka sɛ, “Di mmara pa so” no. Ɛnsɛ sɛ mo mu biara de onipa bi hoahoa ne ho na ɔbu ɔfoforɔ nso onipa teta.

Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied this to Apollos and myself as an example for you. That way you will learn not to go beyond what has been written, and not in arrogance prefer one over the other.

7 Hwan na ɔka kyerɛɛ wo sɛ wokorɔn sene afoforɔ? Ɛnyɛ Onyankopɔn na ɔde biribiara a wowɔ no maa wo? Na adɛn enti na wode hoahoa wo ho sɛdeɛ ɛnyɛ akyɛdeɛ?

Who made you so special? What do you have that you weren't given? Since you were given it, why do you proudly claim you weren't?

8 Biribiara a mohwehwɛ no, mo nsa aka dada! Moyɛ adefoɔ dada. Moayeyɛ ahemfo, nanso yɛnyɛ bi! Nokorɛm, anka mepɛ sɛ moyɛ ahemfo na anka yɛn nso yɛyɛ ahemfo bɛka mo ho.

You think you have all you need. You think you're so wealthy. You think you're kings already, and don't need us. I wish you were really ruling as kings, so we could rule with you!

9 Ɛyɛ me sɛ yɛn asomafoɔ yi deɛ, Onyankopɔn de yɛn atwa toɔ sɛ nnipa bi a wɔabu wɔn kumfɔ wɔ badwa mu sɛ nnipa ne ewiase abɔfoɔ nyinaa nhwɛ.

The way I see it, God has put us apostles on display as the last in the line, condemned to die. We have been made a public show before the entire universe, to angels and to human beings.

10 Kristo enti, yɛyɛ nkwaseafoɔ, nanso moyɛ anyansafoɔ wɔ Kristo mu. Yɛyɛ mmerɛ, nanso moyɛ den. Wɔmmu yɛn, nanso wɔbu mo.

We're Christ's fools, but you are so wise in Christ! We're the weak ones, but you are so strong! You have the glory, but we are despised!

11 Ɛbɛsi saa ɛberɛ yi mu ɛkɔm ne sukɔm de yɛn. Yɛfira ntomago; wɔhwe yɛn; yɛdi atutena;

Right up till now we're hungry and thirsty. We have no clothes. We're badly beaten up, and we have no place to call home.

12 yɛyɛ adwuma a ɛyɛ den de hwɛ yɛn ho. Wɔdome yɛn a, yɛhyira; wɔhwe yɛn a yɛgyina ano.

We struggle on doing manual work. When people curse us, we bless them. When they persecute us, we put up with it.

13 Wɔya yɛn a, yɛde kasa pa bua. Yɛte sɛ ewiase yi mu wira bi a yɛnka hwee de bɛsi ɛnnɛ.

When they insult us, we respond with kindness. Even now we are treated like dirt, the worst trash in the whole world.

14 Ɛnyɛ sɛ mepɛ sɛ megu mo anim ase enti na metwerɛɛ saa nwoma yi brɛɛ mo. Na mmom, mepɛ sɛ mekyerɛ mo ɛkwan sɛ me ara me mma a medɔ wɔn.

I'm not writing like this to make you feel ashamed, but to caution you as my children whom I love so much.

15 Na sɛ mowɔ ahwɛfoɔ ɔpedu mpo wɔ mo asetena mu wɔ Kristo mu a, mowɔ Agya baako pɛ. Na mo nkwa a ɛwɔ Kristo Yesu mu no enti, menam asɛmpa a meka kyerɛɛ mo no so abɛyɛ mo agya.

Even though you may have thousands of Christian instructors, you don't have many fathers—it was in Christ Jesus that I became your father when I shared the good news with you.

16 Mesrɛ mo sɛ monsuasua me.

So I'm pleading with you to imitate me!

17 Ɛnam yei so enti, meresoma Timoteo na waba mo nkyɛn. Ɔyɛ mʼankasa me dɔ ba a ɔdi me nokorɛ wɔ Awurade mu. Ɔbɛkaakae mo mʼakwan foforɔ a menam so di Kristo Yesu akyi ne nkyerɛkyerɛ a mekyerɛkyerɛ wɔ asafo biara a mekɔ mu no.

That's why I sent Timothy to you, my trustworthy son in the Lord who I love so much. He will remind you about the way I follow Christ, just as I always teach in every church I visit.

18 Mo mu bi ayɛ ahantan, susu sɛ meremmɛsra mo.

Some among you have become arrogant, thinking I wouldn't bother coming to see you.

19 Sɛ Awurade pɛ a, ɛrenkyɛre biara mɛba mo nkyɛn na mʼankasa mabɛhwɛ dwuma a saa ahantanfoɔ yi bɛtumi adi na ɛnyɛ asɛm a wɔbɛka no.

But I am coming to visit you soon, if that's what the Lord wants. Then I'll find out what these arrogant people are saying, and what kind of power they have.

20 Onyankopɔn Ahennie no nyɛ nsɛnkeka na ɛyɛ tumi.

For the kingdom of God is not about mere words, but about power.

21 Emu deɛ ɛwɔ he na mopɛ? Memmɛbɔ mo mmaa anaa akoma a ɔdɔ wɔ mu na ɛbu adeɛ na memfa mmra mo nkyɛn?

So what do you want? Shall I come with a stick to beat you, or in love and a gentle spirit?