1 Corinthians 4
4
The Apostles and Their Calling
1 Let a man regard us in this way, as servants* of Christ and stewards* of the mysteries of God. 2 In this matter, furthermore, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3 But for me, it is a matter of utmost insignificance to be examined by you or by any human tribunal;* indeed, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, yet I am not vindicated by this. But the One who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore, do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the secret things of darkness and make manifest the purposes of the hearts; and at that time, commendation will come to each one from God.
6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that you may learn through us not to go beyond what is written, that not one of you may be inflated with arrogance on behalf of one against the other. 7 For who distinguishes you from one another? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if, indeed, you received it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it?
8 Already you are satisfied. Already you have become rich. Apart from us you have reigned. And I wish that you truly were reigning, so that we also might reign with you! 9 For, I think, God has displayed us, the apostles, as last, as doomed to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.* 10 We are foolish on account of Christ, but you are wise. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honoured, but we are dishonoured! 11 Up to the present hour, we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed and are violently mistreated and homeless; 12 and we labour, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are defamed, we admonish; we have become like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things, even to the present moment.
Paul’s Admonition
14 I am not writing these things to turn you to confusion, but as beloved children, admonishing you. 15 For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore, I exhort you, be imitators of me.* 17 On account of this, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways that are in Christ Jesus,* as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 But some have become inflated with arrogance, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of those who have been inflated with arrogance, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in talk, but in power. 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Notes
1 Or attendants
1 Or household managers . So also v. 2
3 Greek human day (of judgment)
9 Or humankind, as the term is understood in a generic sense
16 Possibly as an interpolation from 11:1, three ancient Greek manuscripts include as I also am of Christ at the end of the verse
17 Some ancient manuscripts read Christ , while others read Lord Jesus
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
