1 Corinthians 4
4
Apostles of Christ Jesus
1You should think of us as servants of Christ, the ones God has trusted to do the work of making known his secret truths. 2Those who are trusted with such an important work must show that they are worthy of that trust. 3But I don’t consider your judgment on this point to be worth anything. Even an opinion from a court of law would mean nothing. I don’t even trust my own judgment. 4I don’t know of any wrong I have done, but that does not make me right. The Lord is the one who must decide if I have done well or not. 5So don’t judge anyone now. The time for judging will be when the Lord comes. He will shine light on everything that is now hidden in darkness. He will make known the secret purposes of our hearts. Then the praise each person should get will come from God.
6Brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself as examples for you. I did this so that you could learn from us the meaning of the words, “Follow what the Scriptures say.” Then you will not brag about one person and criticize another. 7Who do you think you are? Everything you have was given to you. So, if everything you have was given to you, why do you act as if you got it all by your own power?
8You think you have everything you need. You think you are rich. You think you have become kings without us. I wish you really were kings. Then we could rule together with you. 9But it seems to me that God has given me and the other apostles the last place. We are like prisoners condemned to die, led in a parade for the whole world to see—not just people but angels too. 10We are fools for Christ, but you think you are so wise in Christ. We are weak, but you think you are so strong. People give you honor, but they don’t honor us. 11Even now we still don’t have enough to eat or drink, and we don’t have enough clothes. We often get beatings. We have no homes. 12We work hard with our own hands to feed ourselves. When people insult us, we ask God to bless them. When people treat us badly, we accept it. 13When people say bad things about us, we try to say something that will help them. But people still treat us like the world’s garbage—everyone’s trash.
14I am not trying to make you feel ashamed, but I am writing this to counsel you as my own dear children. 15You may have ten thousand teachers in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. Through the Good News I became your father in Christ Jesus. 16So I beg you to be like me. 17That is why I am sending Timothy to you. He is my son in the Lord. I love him and trust him. He will help you remember the way I live in Christ Jesus—a way of life that I teach in every meeting of the church wherever I am.
18Some of you are acting so proud, it seems as though you think I won’t be coming there again. 19But I will come to you very soon, the Lord willing. Then I will see if these proud talkers have the power to do anything more than talk. 20God’s kingdom is not seen in talk but in power. 21Which do you want: that I come to you with punishment, or that I come with love and gentleness?
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
1 Corinthians 4
4
1So let a man consider us as Gabba'im of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach and mefakkechim (stewards, supervisors) of the sodot (mysteries) of Hashem.
2Moreover, it is sought in mefakkechim that one be found that has ne'emanut (faithfulness).
3But to me it is a very small thing that I be brought, as it were, before your Bet Din for you to play dayanim (religious judges) judging me, or that I am judged by Bnei Adam on their merely human Yom HaDin; I do not even act as Dayan (Judge of a Rabbinical Court) of myself.
4I am aware of nothing against myself, but not in this have I been yitzdak (justified); it is the L-rd who is my Shofet (Judge).#4:4 Gn 18:25; Dan 7:13-14
5Therefore, do not judge anything before the time, until the Bias Adoneinu,#4:5 Moshiach who both will bring to Ohr (Light) the hidden things of the choshech (darkness) and manifest the motives of the levavot. And then the tehillah (praise) each one will receive will be from Hashem.#4:5 Job 12:22; Ps 90:8
6Now these things, Achim b'Moshiach, I made a dimyon (comparison) applied with respect to myself and Apollos for your sake, that through us you may learn not to go beyond what things have been written,#4:6 2:13 lest you are puffed up as ba'alei ga'avah (conceited, haughty persons) in favor of one or against the other.
7For who makes you so distinguished? And, by the way, what do you have which you did not receive? And if indeed you were given it, why this ga'avah, this boastfulness as if you had not received it?
8Already you have so much, already you ascended to osher (riches) and without us [Shlichim]! You became melechim (kings); I would that you did indeed become melechim that also we might reign as melechim with you.
9For, omein, I believe that Hashem has exhibited us, the Shlichim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, as last in the program, condemned to death, because, like wretches under a mishpat mavet (death sentence), we became displayed in the arena for the eyes of the Olam Hazeh, malachim as well as Bnei Adam.#4:9 Ps 71:7
10We are kesilim (fools) because of Moshiach, but you are chachamim in Moshiach; we are weak, but you are strong; you are treated with honor; we dishonor.
11Until the present sha'ah (hour) we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten and homeless.
12And we have parnasah, toiling with our own hands; being reviled, we make a bracha; being persecuted, we endure it:
13Being defamed by loshon hora, we conciliate. We have become what the earth wants swept out the door, something considered trash the Olam Hazeh wants removed.#4:13 Jer 20:18; Lam 3:45
14The purpose of this iggeret is not to bring you under bushah (shame). I write these things as admonishing my beloved yeladim.
15For, though you may have in Moshiach morei derech numbering ten thousand, you have not many avot, for in Moshiach through the Besuras HaGeulah I#4:15 T.N. Notice 1C 4:6 indicates the canon of inerrant Scripture is closed and may not be added to. became your abba.
16Therefore, I encourage you, imitate me.
17Because of this very thing, I sent Timotiyos to you who is my beni haahuv (beloved son) and ne'eman (faithful), trustworthy in Hashem, who will remind you of my derech baKodesh in Moshiach, even as I give shiurim everywhere in every kehillah.
18Now as to my coming to you, some were puffed up,#4:18 Jer 43:2
19But I will come shortly to you, im yirtzeh Hashem (if the L-rd wills), and I will find out not the speech of the ones having been puffed up but the ko'ach (power).
20For the Malchut Hashem depends not on the talk [of the ish sefatayim (the eloquent speaker)] but on ko'ach (power).
21What do you want? That I should come to you, so to speak, with an abbaʼs switch or in ahavah and an anavat ruach (a spirit of meekness)?
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.