1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1Co 9:17; 1Pe 4:10)2Moreover, 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 any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. (Job 9:2; Job 9:15; Ps 130:3; Ps 143:2; Ac 23:1; 1Jo 3:21)5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (Mt 7:1; Mt 13:29; Joh 21:22; Ro 2:1; Ro 2:16; 1Co 3:8; 1Co 3:13; 2Co 10:18)6I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers,[1] that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. (1Co 4:18; 1Co 5:2; 1Co 13:4)7For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1Ch 29:14; Joh 3:27; Jas 1:17; 1Pe 4:10)8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!9For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. (Isa 20:3; Ro 8:36; Heb 10:33)10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. (Ac 17:18; Ac 26:24; 1Co 1:18; 1Co 2:3; 2Co 11:19; 2Co 13:9)11To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, (Mt 8:20; Ro 8:35; 2Co 11:20; 2Co 11:23; 2Co 11:27; Php 4:12)12and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; (Joh 15:20; Ac 18:3; 1Pe 3:9)13when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. (Isa 30:22; Isa 64:6; La 3:45)14I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. (1Co 6:5; 1Co 15:34; 2Co 6:13; 1Th 2:11; 3Jo 1:4)15For though you have countless[2] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1Co 3:10; Ga 4:19; Phm 1:10)16I urge you, then, be imitators of me. (1Co 11:1; Php 3:17; Php 4:9; 1Th 1:6; 2Th 3:9)17That is why I sent[3] you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,[4] as I teach them everywhere in every church. (1Co 7:17; 1Co 16:10; 1Ti 1:2; 2Ti 1:2)18Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. (1Co 4:6; 1Co 4:21; 2Co 10:2)19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. (Ac 19:21; Ac 20:2; 1Co 11:34; 1Co 16:5; 2Co 1:15)20For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. (1Co 2:4)21What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? (2Co 1:23; 2Co 2:1; 2Co 2:3; 2Co 12:20; 2Co 13:2; 2Co 13:10)
1 Corinthians 4
New International Version
The nature of true apostleship
1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.5Therefore 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 the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign – and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured!11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world – right up to this moment.
Paul’s appeal and warning
14I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.15Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.19But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
1 Corinthians 4
King James Version
1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.3But 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.4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.5Therefore 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.6And 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.7For 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?8Now 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.9For 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.10We 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.11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.15For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.17For 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.18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.19But 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.20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
1 Corinthians 4
New International Reader’s Version
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 boast 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 honoured. 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 rubbish, 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?