1 Corinthians — Chapter 4

1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

3I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

6Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

8Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

9For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

11To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

12We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

13when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.

15Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

17That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5Therefore judge nothing 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 of God.

6And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

7For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

1Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man`s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.

6Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not [to go] beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

7For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?

8Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.

10We are fools for Christ`s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.

11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;

12and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.

14I write not these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.

16I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

17For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church.

18Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.

20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

1One should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.

3So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord.

5So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.

6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.

7For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?

8Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you!

9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people.

10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored!

11To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads.

12We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure,

13when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world’s dirt and scum, even now.

14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children.

15For though you may have 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

16I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.

17For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

18Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power.

20For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.

21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

1So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants, and stewards of God’s mysteries.

2Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.

3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment. Yes, I don’t judge my own self.

4For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

6Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

7For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

8You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

11Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

12We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

13Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

14I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

16I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

17Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

18Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

20For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?