1 Corinthians 4
4
Christ’s Servant, God’s Steward
1 Thus let a person consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 3But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court,#Literally “day” but I do not even judge myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.
The Apostles’ Humility
6Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos for your sake, in order that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, lest someone be inflated with pride on behalf of one person against the other. 7For who concedes you superiority? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received it, why do you boast as if you#*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“receive”) which is understood as conditional did not receive it? 8Already you are satiated! Already you are rich! Apart from us you reign as kings! And would that indeed you reigned as kings, in order that we also might reign as kings with you! 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people. 10We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored! 11Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless, 12and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“reviled”) which is understood as temporal reviled, we bless; when we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“persecuted”) which is understood as temporal persecuted, we endure; 13when we are#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“slandered”) which is understood as temporal slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, until now.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Believers
14I am not writing these things to shame you, but admonishing you as my dear children. 15For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you, become imitators of me. 17Because of this, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my dear and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18But some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power. 20For the kingdom of God is not with talk, but with power. 21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
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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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