1 Corinthians 4
4
1 #
1 Cor 9.17; Rom 11.25; 16.25. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. 4#2 Cor 1.12. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5#Rom 2.16; 1 Cor 3.13; 2 Cor 10.18; Rom 2.29. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.
6 #
1 Cor 1.19,31; 3.19-20; 1.12; 3.4. I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?
8Already you are filled! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9#1 Cor 15.31; 2 Cor 11.23; Rom 8.36; Heb 10.33. For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. 10#1 Cor 1.18; 2 Cor 11.19; 1 Cor 3.18; 2 Cor 13.9; 1 Cor 2.3. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11#Rom 8.35; 2 Cor 11.23-27. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, 12#Acts 18.3; 1 Pet 3.9. and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things.
14I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15#1 Cor 1.30; Philem 10. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17#1 Cor 16.10; Acts 16.1; 1 Cor 7.17. Therefore I sent#4.17 Or am sending to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21#2 Cor 1.23. What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
1 Corinthians 4
4
True Apostles of Christ
1So here’s how you should think of us. We’re servants of Christ who’ve been trusted with the mysteries God has shown us. 2Those who’ve been trusted with something must show that they’re dependable. 3I really don’t care if you judge me, or if any human court judges me. I don’t even judge myself. 4I don’t feel I have done anything wrong, but that doesn’t mean I’m not guilty. It’s the Lord who judges me. 5So don’t judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord returns, and he will bring what’s now hidden in the dark out into the light. He’ll show the real reasons why people do what they do. At that time God will give each person the praise they deserve.
6Brothers and sisters, I’ve used myself and Apollos as examples. I want to help you learn from us what the saying means, “Don’t go beyond what’s written.” If you understand that, you won’t feel proud that you follow one of us instead of the other. 7Who thinks you’re different from anyone else? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? And if it was given to you, why do you brag as though it came from you?
8You think you already have everything you need. You think you’ve already become rich and that you’ve begun to rule, even though we haven’t. I wish that you really had begun to rule. Then we’d be ruling with you! 9It feels as if God has put us apostles on display like the people who are put at the end of the procession to the arena because they’re going to die there. And it feels as if the whole universe is watching, both angels and humans. 10We’re fools for Christ, but you’re so wise in Christ! We’re weak, but you’re so strong! You are honored, but we’re looked down on! 11We’re still hungry and thirsty, dressed in rags, homeless, and treated badly. 12We work hard with our own hands. When others curse us, we bless them. When we’re attacked, we don’t fight back. 13When others say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. We’ve become the world’s garbage, and we’re still everybody’s trash even now.
Paul Warns Against Pride
14I’m not writing this to make you ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children. 15Other people might be your guardians in Christ, but even if there were 10,000 of them, you still wouldn’t have many fathers. I became your father in Christ Jesus by telling you the good news. 16So I’m asking you to follow my example. 17That’s the reason why I’ve sent Timothy to you. He’s like a son to me, and I love him. He’s faithful in serving the Lord. He’ll remind you of the way I live as a servant of Christ Jesus. I myself follow what I teach everywhere in all the churches.
18Some of you have become proud. You act as if I weren’t coming to you. 19But I am going to come very soon, if that’s the Lord’s will. Then I’ll find out if there’s actually any power behind what these proud people are saying. 20The kingdom of God isn’t a matter of talk but a matter of power. 21Which would you prefer? Do you want me to come and punish you? Or do you want me to come in love, with a gentle spirit?
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