1 Corinthians, 4
1. Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1. People should think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
2. Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.
2. In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.
3. It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself;
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.
4. I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord.
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.
5. Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.
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.
6. so that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over against another.
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.
7. Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?
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?
8. You are already satisfied; you have already grown rich; you have become kings without us! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we also might become kings with you.
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!
9. For as I see it, God has exhibited us apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and human beings alike.
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.
10. We are fools on Christ's account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
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.
11. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless
11. To this day, we go short of food and drink and clothes, we are beaten up and we have no homes;
12. and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
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;
13. when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world's rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment.
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.
14. I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
14. I am writing all this not to make you ashamed but simply to remind you, as my dear children;
15. Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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.
16. Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me.
16. That is why I urge you to take me as your pattern
17. For this reason I am sending you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord; he will remind you of my ways in Christ (Jesus), just as I teach them everywhere in every church.
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.
18. Some have become inflated with pride, as if I were not coming to you.
18. On the assumption that I was not coming to you, some of you have become filled with your own self-importance;
19. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I shall ascertain not the talk of these inflated people but their power.
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.
20. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
20. For the kingdom of God consists not in spoken words but in power.
21. Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a gentle spirit?
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?
