1 Corinthians 4
4
True Apostles of Christ
1So here is how you should think of us. We serve Christ. We are trusted with the mysteries God has shown us. 2Those who have been given a trust must prove that they are faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court. I don’t even judge myself. 4I don’t feel I have done anything wrong. But that doesn’t mean I’m not guilty. The Lord judges me. 5So don’t judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord returns. He will bring to light what is hidden in the dark. He will show the real reasons why people do what they do. At that time each person will receive their praise from God.
6Brothers and sisters, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to help you. You can learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Don’t go beyond what is written.” Then you won’t be proud that you follow one of us instead of the other. 7Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you brag as though you did not?
8You already have everything you want, don’t you? Have you already become rich? Have you already begun to rule? And did you do that without us? I wish that you really had begun to rule. Then we could also rule with you! 9It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of a parade. We are like people sentenced to die in front of a crowd. We have been made a show for the whole creation to see. Angels and people are staring at us. 10We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on! 11Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes. 12We work hard with our own hands. When others curse us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it. 13When others say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. We have become the world’s garbage. We are everybody’s trash, right up to this moment.
Paul Warns Against Pride
14I am not writing this to shame you. You are my dear children, and I want to warn you. 15Suppose you had 10,000 believers in Christ watching over you. You still wouldn’t have many fathers. I became your father by serving Christ Jesus and telling you the good news. 16So I’m asking you to follow my example. 17That’s the reason I have sent Timothy to you. He is like a son to me, and I love him. He is faithful in serving the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in serving Christ Jesus. And that agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
18Some of you have become proud. You act as if I weren’t coming to you. 19But I will come very soon, if that’s what the Lord wants. Then I will find out how those proud people are talking. I will also find out what power they have. 20The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk. It is a matter of power. 21Which do you want? Should I come to you to correct and punish you? Or should I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
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1 Corinthians 4
4
The Ministry of the Apostles
1Let a man so regard us as the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. # Ro 16:25; Titus 1:7 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 by you or by man’s judgment. I do not even judge myself. 4For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this. But He who judges me is the Lord. # Ps 130:3; 143:2 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time until the Lord comes. # Ro 2:1 He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the purposes of the hearts. # Ro 2:16 Then everyone will have commendation from God. # Ro 2:29
6Brothers, I have figuratively applied these things to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, # 1Co 1:12 so that you may learn from us not to think of men above that which is written, and that not one of you would be arrogant for one against another. # 1Co 13:4 7For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? # Jn 3:27; Ro 12:6 Now if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8Now you are full! Now you are rich! # Rev 3:17 You have begun reigning as kings without us! And I would that you did reign, so that we also might reign with you. 9For I think that God has exhibited us, the apostles, last, as if we were sentenced to death. # Ro 8:36 For we have been made a spectacle to the world, # Heb 10:33 to angels and to men. 10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, # 1Co 2:3 but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised. # Ac 17:18; 26:24 11Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. # Ro 8:35; 2Co 11:23–27 12We labor, working with our own hands. # Ac 18:3 Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. # Mt 5:11; 1Pe 3:9 13Being slandered, we encourage. We are made as the filth of the world, # La 3:45 and are the refuse of all things to this day.
14I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. # 1Th 2:11 15For if you were to have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. In Christ Jesus I have become a father to you through the gospel. # Gal 4:19 16So I implore you, be followers of me. # 1Co 11:1; Php 3:17 17Therefore I have sent Timothy to you. He is my beloved son and is faithful in the Lord. # 1Ti 1:2 He will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. # 1Co 7:17
18Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you shortly if the Lord wills. # Ac 18:21 And I will know not only what those who are arrogant are saying, but also their power. 20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. # 1Co 2:4 21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, # 2Co 1:23; 13:2 or in love and in the spirit of meekness?
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