1 Corinthians (1 Co) 4
4
1So, you should regard us as the Messiah’s servants, as trustees of God’s secret truths. 2Now the one thing that is asked of a trustee is that he be found trustworthy. 3And it matters very little to me how I am evaluated by you or by any human court; in fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. 4I am not aware of anything against me, but this does not make me innocent. The one who is evaluating me is the Lord. 5So don’t pronounce judgment prematurely, before the Lord comes; for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness; he will expose the motives of people’s hearts; and then each will receive from God whatever praise he deserves.
6Now in what I have said here, brothers, I have used myself and Apollos as examples to teach you not to go beyond what the Tanakh says, proudly taking the side of one leader against another. 7After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t? 8You are glutted already? You are rich already? You have become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we might share the kingship with you! 9For I think God has been placing us emissaries on display at the tail of the parade, like men condemned to die in the public arena: we have become a spectacle before the whole universe, angels as well as men. 10For the Messiah’s sake we are fools, but united with the Messiah you are wise! We are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are dishonored. 11Till this very moment we go hungry and thirsty, we are dressed in rags, we are treated roughly, we wander from place to place, 12we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands for our living. When we are cursed, we keep on blessing; when we are persecuted, we go on putting up with it; 13when we are slandered, we continue making our appeal. We are the world’s garbage, the scum of the earth — yes, to this moment!
14I am not writing you this to make you feel ashamed, but, as my dear children, to confront you and get you to change. 15For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17This is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord. He will remind you of the way of life I follow in union with the Messiah Yeshua and teach everywhere in every congregation.
18When I didn’t come to visit you, some of you became arrogant. 19But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills; and I will take cognizance not of the talk of these arrogant people but of their power. 20For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power. 21Which do you prefer — should I come to you with a stick? or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
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1 Corinthians (1 Co) 4: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 Corinthians 4
4
1 So let a man think of us as Messiah’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 a human court. Yes, I don’t even 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.
6 Now 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?
8 You 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 emissaries, 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 Messiah’s sake, but you are wise in Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honour, but we have dishonour. 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.
14 I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, you don’t have many fathers. For in Messiah Yeshua, 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 Messiah, 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?
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