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
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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