1 Corinthians 4
4
The Ministry of the Apostles
1#Ro 16:25; Titus 1:7Let a man so regard us as 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 by you or by man’s judgment. I do not even judge myself. 4#Ps 143:2; 130:3For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this. But He who judges me is the Lord. 5#Ro 2:16; 2:1; 2:29Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the purposes of the hearts. Then everyone will have commendation from God.
6#1Co 1:12; 13:4Brothers, I have figuratively applied these things to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, so that you may learn from us not to think of men above that which is written, and that not one of you would be arrogant for one against another. 7#Jn 3:27; Ro 12:6For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8#Rev 3:17Now you are full, now you are rich; you have begun reigning as kings without us, and I wish to God you reigned, so that we also might reign with you. 9#Ro 8:36; Heb 10:33For I think that God has exhibited us, the apostles, last, as if we were sentenced to death. For we have been made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. 10#1Co 2:3; Ac 17:18; 26:24We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised. 11#Ro 8:35; 2Co 11:23–27Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless. 12#1Pe 3:9; Ac 18:3; Mt 5:11We labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. 13#La 3:45Being slandered, we encourage. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the refuse of all things to this day.
14#1Th 2:11; 1Co 4:15I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15#Gal 4:19; 1Co 3:10For if you were to have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. In Christ Jesus I have become a father to you through the gospel. 16#1Co 11:1; Php 3:17So I implore you, be followers of me. 17#1Co 7:17; 1Ti 1:2Therefore I have sent Timothy to you. He is my beloved son and is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
18Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19#Ac 18:21; 19:21But I will come to you shortly if the Lord wills. And I will know not only what those who are arrogant are saying, but also their power. 20#1Co 2:4For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21#2Co 13:2; 1:23What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?
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Military Bible Association
1 Corinthians 4
4
Paul’s Relationship with the Corinthians
1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.
5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
6Dear brothers and sisters,#4:6a Greek Brothers. I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures,#4:6b Or If you learn not to go beyond “what is written.” you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. 7For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?
8You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. 9Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.
10Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. 11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.
14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16So I urge you to imitate me.
17That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.
18Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. 19But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. 20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 21Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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