I Corinthians 4
4
Stewards of the Mysteries of God
1Let a man so consider us, as #Matt. 24:45; Rom. 13:6; 2 Cor. 3:6; Col. 1:25servants of Christ #Luke 12:42; 1 Cor. 9:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Pet. 4:10and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5#Matt. 7:1; Rom. 2:1; (Rev. 20:12)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to #Matt. 10:26light the hidden things of darkness and #1 Cor. 3:13reveal the counsels of the hearts. #Rom. 2:29; 1 Cor. 3:8; (2 Cor. 5:10)Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Fools for Christ’s Sake
6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7For who makes you differ from another? And #John 3:27; Rom. 12:3, 6; 1 Pet. 4:10what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8You are already full! #Rev. 3:17You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a #Heb. 10:33spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10We are #Acts 17:18; 26:24; 1 Cor. 1:18fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! #1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 13:9We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12#Acts 18:3; 20:34And we labor, working with our own hands. #Matt. 5:44Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13being defamed, we entreat. #Lam. 3:45We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
Paul’s Paternal Care
14I do not write these things to shame you, but #2 Cor. 6:13; 12:14; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 John 2:1; 3 John 4as my beloved children I warn you. 15For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for #Num. 11:12; Acts 18:11; 1 Cor. 3:8; Gal. 4:19; Philem. 10in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you, #(1 Cor. 11:1); Phil. 3:17; 4:9; (1 Thess. 1:6); 2 Thess. 3:9imitate me. 17For this reason I have sent #Acts 19:22; Phil. 2:19Timothy to you, #1 Cor. 4:14; 1 Tim. 1:2, 18; 2 Tim. 1:2who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will #1 Cor. 11:2remind you of my ways in Christ, as I #1 Cor. 7:17; Titus 1:5teach everywhere #1 Cor. 14:33in every church.
18#1 Cor. 5:2Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19#Acts 19:21; 20:2; 1 Cor. 11:34; 16:5, 7–9; 2 Cor. 1:15But I will come to you shortly, #Acts 18:21; Heb. 6:3; James 4:15if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20For #1 Thess. 1:5the kingdom of God is not in word but in #1 Cor. 2:4power. 21What do you want? #2 Cor. 10:2Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
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I Corinthians 4: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 4
4
Apostles of Christ
1You should think of us as Christ's servants, who have been put in charge of God's secret truths. 2The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master. 3Now, I am not at all concerned about being judged by you or by any human standard; I don't even pass judgement on myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not prove that I am really innocent. The Lord is the one who passes judgement on me. 5So you should not pass judgement on anyone before the right time comes. Final judgement must wait until the Lord comes; he will bring to light the dark secrets and expose the hidden purposes of people's minds. And then all will receive from God the praise they deserve.
6For your sake, my brothers and sisters, I have applied all this to Apollos and me, using the two of us as an example, so that you may learn what the saying means, “Observe the proper rules.” None of you should be proud of one person and despise another. 7Who made you superior to others? Didn't God give you everything you have? Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift?
8Do you already have everything you need? Are you already rich? Have you become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we could be kings together with you. 9For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like people condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of humanity. 10For Christ's sake we are fools; but you are wise in union with Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! We are despised, but you are honoured! 11To this very moment we go hungry and thirsty; we are clothed in rags; we are beaten; we wander from place to place; 12#Acts 18.3we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13when we are insulted, we answer with kind words. We are no more than this world's refuse; we are the scum of the earth to this very moment!
14I write this to you, not because I want to make you feel ashamed, but to instruct you as my own dear children. 15For even if you have 10,000 guardians in your Christian life, you have only one father. For in your life in union with Christ Jesus I have become your father by bringing the Good News to you. 16#1 Cor 11.1; Phil 3.17I beg you, then, to follow my example. 17For this purpose I am sending to you Timothy, who is my own dear and faithful son in the Christian life. He will remind you of the principles which I follow in the new life in union with Christ Jesus and which I teach in all the churches everywhere.
18Some of you have become proud because you have thought that I would not be coming to visit you. 19If the Lord is willing, however, I will come to you soon, and then I will find out for myself the power which these proud people have, and not just what they say. 20For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power. 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in a spirit of love and gentleness?
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.