1 Corinthians 4
4
God is the judge
1What need have we then of any other wisdom than this divine sort? 2We are servants of Christ, we have the stewardship of God’s mysteries. And as such we must be faithful. 3-4It is small matter to me what men decide about me, what their criticisms may be. These human judgments and criticisms do not concern the truth of the Gospel. It is the day of the Lord that judges man, separating truth from fiction. 5Therefore I do not even judge myself, I do not exercise my conscience over my degree of faithfulness or the reverse. But that is not my justification, I am not justified simply because my conscience is at rest, I am justified because God is judging me. Wait then for His judgment. It will come to pass — that severance of truth and falsehood, faith and faithlessness. Leave it to God and do not usurp his function before the time, when the light shall shine, when the darkness shall collapse, when the hidden purposes of the heart shall resolve themselves, and man’s praise and honour shall come to him from God alone.
The apostles as an example
6Have you learned from me and Apollos? and are you going to make these new acquisitions and possessions a thing to be conceited and self-sufficient about, a thing to judge others in, and put yourself above another? But indulge nothing beyond what is written in our teaching.
7This sensitiveness to praise or blame, and this setting of one teacher above another is no part of the Gospel. Whence come your enlightenment, your wisdom, your treasures of joy and deep riches of the spirit, whence your fulness, completion and victory? From yourselves? Or is it given you in Christ? 8Yes, that is your state in Christ, yet has the Kingdom still to be striven for, you cannot yet call these things your own, and boast of them as such; whilst the world still rules, whilst we apostles are like arena criminals condemned to make a spectacle for others, whilst we are defenceless and weak, will you boast of your victory, will you be strong and self-sufficient? 9Whilst the world and angels and man unite to watch our struggles and efforts, are you reigning at peace with the saints in Christ? 10Whilst we are fools, are you wise in Christ? Whilst we are dishonoured, have you the safety and the glory of the truth? Yes, all that is true, yet I would have you not to glory over it, but to remember the condition of us who taught you. 11We are still hungering and thirsty, we are still naked and buffeted and amazed, 12we still work with our hands to gain a living. We are reviled and we bless, we are persecuted and we endure, 13we are cursed and we turn it aside. Up to the present moment, the very moment that I write to you, we are the outcasts and pariahs of society, its very dregs and offscourings. Think of this when you are tempted to become wise and self-sufficient in your own eyes, to set one man’s teaching above another’s, and make the Christ a matter of vain-glorious disputation and theory.
Paul as father rather than teacher
14And yet I would not speak harshly to you and condemn you, but I appeal to you as to children whom I love. 15Am I your teacher? Am I not rather the father that begot you in the faith by the Gospel and is that not something more than a mere teacher — a man may have many tutors but only one father. 16If that is our relationship then be like me, be imitative of me. 17That is why I have sent you Timothy, my faithful, my beloved son in the Lord, to tell you of my bonds, of my life in Christ, and to remind you of what my teaching is and always has been in the Christ. 18But because I have not come myself, there have arisen certain persons among you with an exaggerated opinion of their own importance. 19And that being so, I shall, if the Lord so will, come to you myself and visit you, and when I come, it will not be with the dialectic of these self-assertive teachers, but with the word of power. 20In that is the kingdom of God, not theory and contention but spiritual power. 21What then? Shall I come to you as a master with rod and rule, or in the spirit of love and gentleness?
Currently Selected:
1 Corinthians 4: GWC
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Translated in 1916, published in 1937.
1 Corinthians 4
4
1So let a man consider us as Gabba'im of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach and mefakkechim (stewards, supervisors) of the sodot (mysteries) of Hashem.
2Moreover, it is sought in mefakkechim that one be found that has ne'emanut (faithfulness).
3But to me it is a very small thing that I be brought, as it were, before your Bet Din for you to play dayanim (religious judges) judging me, or that I am judged by Bnei Adam on their merely human Yom HaDin; I do not even act as Dayan (Judge of a Rabbinical Court) of myself.
4I am aware of nothing against myself, but not in this have I been yitzdak (justified); it is the L-rd who is my Shofet (Judge).#4:4 Gn 18:25; Dan 7:13-14
5Therefore, do not judge anything before the time, until the Bias Adoneinu,#4:5 Moshiach who both will bring to Ohr (Light) the hidden things of the choshech (darkness) and manifest the motives of the levavot. And then the tehillah (praise) each one will receive will be from Hashem.#4:5 Job 12:22; Ps 90:8
6Now these things, Achim b'Moshiach, I made a dimyon (comparison) applied with respect to myself and Apollos for your sake, that through us you may learn not to go beyond what things have been written,#4:6 2:13 lest you are puffed up as ba'alei ga'avah (conceited, haughty persons) in favor of one or against the other.
7For who makes you so distinguished? And, by the way, what do you have which you did not receive? And if indeed you were given it, why this ga'avah, this boastfulness as if you had not received it?
8Already you have so much, already you ascended to osher (riches) and without us [Shlichim]! You became melechim (kings); I would that you did indeed become melechim that also we might reign as melechim with you.
9For, omein, I believe that Hashem has exhibited us, the Shlichim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, as last in the program, condemned to death, because, like wretches under a mishpat mavet (death sentence), we became displayed in the arena for the eyes of the Olam Hazeh, malachim as well as Bnei Adam.#4:9 Ps 71:7
10We are kesilim (fools) because of Moshiach, but you are chachamim in Moshiach; we are weak, but you are strong; you are treated with honor; we dishonor.
11Until the present sha'ah (hour) we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten and homeless.
12And we have parnasah, toiling with our own hands; being reviled, we make a bracha; being persecuted, we endure it:
13Being defamed by loshon hora, we conciliate. We have become what the earth wants swept out the door, something considered trash the Olam Hazeh wants removed.#4:13 Jer 20:18; Lam 3:45
14The purpose of this iggeret is not to bring you under bushah (shame). I write these things as admonishing my beloved yeladim.
15For, though you may have in Moshiach morei derech numbering ten thousand, you have not many avot, for in Moshiach through the Besuras HaGeulah I#4:15 T.N. Notice 1C 4:6 indicates the canon of inerrant Scripture is closed and may not be added to. became your abba.
16Therefore, I encourage you, imitate me.
17Because of this very thing, I sent Timotiyos to you who is my beni haahuv (beloved son) and ne'eman (faithful), trustworthy in Hashem, who will remind you of my derech baKodesh in Moshiach, even as I give shiurim everywhere in every kehillah.
18Now as to my coming to you, some were puffed up,#4:18 Jer 43:2
19But I will come shortly to you, im yirtzeh Hashem (if the L-rd wills), and I will find out not the speech of the ones having been puffed up but the ko'ach (power).
20For the Malchut Hashem depends not on the talk [of the ish sefatayim (the eloquent speaker)] but on ko'ach (power).
21What do you want? That I should come to you, so to speak, with an abbaʼs switch or in ahavah and an anavat ruach (a spirit of meekness)?
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.