I Corinthians 4
4
Stewards of the Mysteries of God
1Let a man so consider us, as #Matt. 24:45; Rom. 13:6; 2 Cor. 3:6; Col. 1:25servants of Christ #Luke 12:42; 1 Cor. 9:17; Titus 1:7; 1 Pet. 4:10and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5#Matt. 7:1; Rom. 2:1; (Rev. 20:12)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to #Matt. 10:26light the hidden things of darkness and #1 Cor. 3:13reveal the counsels of the hearts. #Rom. 2:29; 1 Cor. 3:8; (2 Cor. 5:10)Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Fools for Christ’s Sake
6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 7For who makes you differ from another? And #John 3:27; Rom. 12:3, 6; 1 Pet. 4:10what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8You are already full! #Rev. 3:17You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a #Heb. 10:33spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10We are #Acts 17:18; 26:24; 1 Cor. 1:18fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! #1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 13:9We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12#Acts 18:3; 20:34And we labor, working with our own hands. #Matt. 5:44Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13being defamed, we entreat. #Lam. 3:45We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
Paul’s Paternal Care
14I do not write these things to shame you, but #2 Cor. 6:13; 12:14; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 John 2:1; 3 John 4as my beloved children I warn you. 15For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for #Num. 11:12; Acts 18:11; 1 Cor. 3:8; Gal. 4:19; Philem. 10in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you, #(1 Cor. 11:1); Phil. 3:17; 4:9; (1 Thess. 1:6); 2 Thess. 3:9imitate me. 17For this reason I have sent #Acts 19:22; Phil. 2:19Timothy to you, #1 Cor. 4:14; 1 Tim. 1:2, 18; 2 Tim. 1:2who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will #1 Cor. 11:2remind you of my ways in Christ, as I #1 Cor. 7:17; Titus 1:5teach everywhere #1 Cor. 14:33in every church.
18#1 Cor. 5:2Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19#Acts 19:21; 20:2; 1 Cor. 11:34; 16:5, 7–9; 2 Cor. 1:15But I will come to you shortly, #Acts 18:21; Heb. 6:3; James 4:15if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20For #1 Thess. 1:5the kingdom of God is not in word but in #1 Cor. 2:4power. 21What do you want? #2 Cor. 10:2Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
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I Corinthians 4: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 4
4
Servants of Christ
1So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal]. 2In this case, moreover, it is required [as essential and demanded] of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy. 3But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself. 4I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me. 5So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
6Now I have applied these things [that is, the analogies about factions] to myself and Apollos for your benefit, believers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written [in Scripture], so that none of you will become arrogant and boast in favor of one [minister or teacher] against the other. 7For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?
8[You behave as if] you are already filled [with spiritual wisdom and in need of nothing more]. Already you have become rich [in spiritual gifts]! You [in your conceit] have ascended your thrones and become kings without us; and how I wish [that it were true and] that you did reign as kings, so that we might reign with you. 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death [and paraded as prisoners in a procession], because we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater], both to angels and to men. 10We are [regarded as] fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are highly esteemed, but we are dishonored. 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are continually poorly dressed, and we are roughly treated, and wander homeless. 12We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure. 13When we are slandered, we try to be conciliatory and answer softly. We have become like the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
14I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father]. 17For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my way of life in Christ [my conduct and my precepts for godly living], just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some of you have become arrogant and pretentious, as though I were not coming to see you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not just the talk of these arrogant people, but [evaluate] their [spiritual] power [whether they live up to their own claims]. 20For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power. 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod [of discipline and correction], or with love and a gentle spirit?
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