1 Corinthians 4

1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

3 I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to think beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

7 For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

8 Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

9 For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

11 To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

13 when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.

15 Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

17 That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 ¶ Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and [to] Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think [of men] above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

7 ¶ For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]?

8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 We [are] fools for Christ's sake, but ye [are] wise in Christ; we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong; ye [are] honourable, but we [are] despised.

11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, [and are] the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 ¶ I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn [you].

15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17 ¶ For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

20 For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power.

21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and [in] the spirit of meekness?

1 For this reason let everyone consider us, namely, Christ's servants and stewards of God's mysteries.

2 Now seek no more in the stewards, but that they be found faithful.

3 But it is nothing to me that I should be judged of you, or that I should be judged of any man's day: neither do I judge myself.

4 I am conscious of nothing, but in this I am not justified: but it is the LORD that judgeth me.

5 Therefore judge not before the time, until the LORD come, who also shall bring to light that which is hid in darkness, and shall make manifest the counsel of the heart: and then shall praise be to every one from GOD.

6 Now these things, brethren, I have signified unto myself and unto Apollos for your sakes, that ye may learn of us, that no man thinketh more highly of himself than is now written, lest one puff himself up against another for any man's sake.

7 For who hath preferred thee? And what hast thou that thou hast not received? But if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory in it, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 Ye have been filled already; ye have been made rich already; ye reign without us. And God would have you reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 But I hold that God hath presented us apostles as the very least, delivered unto death. For we have become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are glorious, but we are despised.

11 Unto this hour we hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten, and have no certain place.

12 And we work and labour with our own hands. We are reproached, but we bless; we are persecuted, but we endure; we are blasphemed, but we beseech.

13 we are always as a curse of the world and a fegopfer of all people.

14 I write not these things to reproach you, but to exhort you as my dear children.

15 For though ye have ten thousand taskmasters in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers. For I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

16 Therefore I exhort you, Be ye followers of me.

17 For the same cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord, that he should remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach in all places in all churches.

18 There are some that puff themselves up, as if I would not come unto you.

19 But I will come unto you very lately, if the LORD will; and learn not the words of the puffed-up, but the power.

20 For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in power.

21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with the rod, or with love and a gentle spirit?