1 Corinthians, 4
1. People should think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
1. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2. In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.
2. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
3. It is of no importance to me how you or any other human court may judge me: I will not even be the judge of my own self.
3. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself.
4. It is true that my conscience does not reproach me, but that is not enough to justify me: it is the Lord who is my judge.
4. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
5. For that reason, do not judge anything before the due time, until the Lord comes; he will bring to light everything that is hidden in darkness and reveal the designs of all hearts. Then everyone will receive from God the appropriate commendation.
5. Therefore 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 every man will receive his commendation from God.
6. I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that you can learn how the saying, 'Nothing beyond what is written' is true of us: no individual among you must become filled with his own importance and make comparisons, to another's detriment.
6. I have applied all this to myself and Apol'los for your benefit, brethren, 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.
7. Who made you so important? What have you got that was not given to you? And if it was given to you, why are you boasting as though it were your own?
7. For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?
8. You already have everything -- you are rich already -- you have come into your kingdom, without any help from us! Well, I wish you were kings and we could be kings with you!
8. Already you are filled! 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!
9. For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on show right at the end, like men condemned to death: we have been exhibited as a spectacle to the whole universe, both angelic and human.
9. For 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.
10. Here we are, fools for Christ's sake, while you are the clever ones in Christ; we are weak, while you are strong; you are honoured, while we are disgraced.
10. We 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.
11. To this day, we go short of food and drink and clothes, we are beaten up and we have no homes;
11. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless,
12. we earn our living by labouring with our own hands; when we are cursed, we answer with a blessing; when we are hounded, we endure it passively;
12. and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
13. when we are insulted, we give a courteous answer. We are treated even now as the dregs of the world, the very lowest scum.
13. when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.
14. I am writing all this not to make you ashamed but simply to remind you, as my dear children;
14. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15. for even though you might have ten thousand slaves to look after you in Christ, you still have no more than one father, and it was I who fathered you in Christ Jesus, by the gospel.
15. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
16. That is why I urge you to take me as your pattern
16. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
17. and why I have sent you Timothy, a dear and faithful son to me in the Lord, who will remind you of my principles of conduct in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
17. Therefore I sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.
18. On the assumption that I was not coming to you, some of you have become filled with your own self-importance;
18. Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.
19. but I shall be coming to you soon, the Lord willing, and then I shall find out not what these self-important people say, but what power they have.
19. But 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.
20. For the kingdom of God consists not in spoken words but in power.
20. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
21. What do you want then? Am I to come to you with a stick in my hand or in love, and with a spirit of gentleness?
21. What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
