1 Corinthians 4
4
1 Corinthians 4
1¶ Let us reckon men as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2Moreover, it is required in stewards that each one be found faithful.
3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by man’s judgment; I do not even judge my own self.
4For although I have nothing on my conscience, yet am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord.
5Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each one have praise of God.
6And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye might not learn above that which is written, lest because of one, some of you become puffed up against others.
7¶ For who makes thee to judge? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, what dost thou glory of, as if thou hadst not received it?
8Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye reign as kings without us, and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9For I think that God has 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 prudent 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 ill clad and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place
12and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;
13being blasphemed, we intreat; we are made as the filth of this world and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
14¶ I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn you, as to my beloved sons.
15For though ye may have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye shall not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16Therefore, I beseech you that ye imitate me.
17¶ For this cause I have sent Timothy unto you, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every congregation. {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones}
18Now some are puffed up as though I will never come to you.
19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and will know not the words of those who are puffed up, but the virtue.
20For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in virtue.
21What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod or in charity and in the spirit of meekness?
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International
1 Corinthians 4
4
The Nature of True Apostleship
1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. 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 the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7For who makes you different from anyone else? 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! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul’s Appeal and Warning
14I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15Even if you had 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. 17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with 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 very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
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