1 Corinthians 4
4
1 SO THEN, let us [apostles] be looked upon as ministering servants of Christ and stewards (trustees) of the mysteries (the secret purposes) of God.
2 Moreover, it is [essentially] required of stewards that a man should be found faithful [proving himself worthy of trust].
3 But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I should be put on trial by you [on this point], and that you or any other human tribunal should investigate and question and cross-question me. I do not even put myself on trial and judge myself.
4 I am not conscious of anything against myself, and I feel blameless; but I am not vindicated and acquitted before God on that account. It is the Lord [Himself] Who examines and judges me.
5 So do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things that are [now hidden] in darkness and disclose and expose the [secret] aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his [due] commendation from God.
6 Now I have applied all this [about parties and factions] to myself and Apollos for your sakes, brethren, so that from what I have said of us [as illustrations], you may learn [to think of men in accordance with Scripture and] not to go beyond that which is written, that none of you may be puffed up and inflated with pride and boast in favor of one [minister and teacher] against another.
7 For who separates you from the others [as a faction leader]? [Who makes you superior and sets you apart from another, giving you the preeminence?] What have you that was not given to you? If then you received it [from someone], why do you boast as if you had not received [but had gained it by your own efforts]?
8 [You behave as if] you are already filled and think you have enough [you are full and content, feeling no need of anything more]! Already you have become rich [in spiritual gifts and graces]! [Without any counsel or instruction from us, in your conceit], you have ascended your thrones and come into your kingdom without including us! And would that it were true and that you did reign, so that we might be sharing the kingdom with you!
9 For it seems to me that God has made an exhibit of us apostles, exposing us to view last [of all, like men in a triumphal procession who are] sentenced to death [and displayed at the end of the line]. For we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world's amphitheater] with both men and angels [as spectators].
10 We are [looked upon as] fools on account of Christ and for His sake, but you are [supposedly] so amazingly wise and prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are [so very] strong! You are highly esteemed, but we are in disrepute and contempt!
11 To this hour we have gone both hungry and thirsty; we [habitually] wear but one undergarment [and shiver in the cold]; we are roughly knocked about and wander around homeless.
12 And we still toil unto weariness [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When men revile us [wound us with an accursed sting], we bless them. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure it.
13 When we are slandered and defamed, we [try to] answer softly and bring comfort. We have been made and are now the rubbish and filth of the world [the offscouring of all things, the scum of the earth].
14 I do not write this to shame you, but to warn and counsel you as my beloved children.
15 After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel).
16 So I urge and implore you, be imitators of me.
17 For this very cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, who will recall to your minds my methods of proceeding and course of conduct and way of life in Christ, such as I teach everywhere in each of the churches.
18 Some of you have become conceited and arrogant and pretentious, counting on my not coming to you.
19 But I will come to you [and] shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will perceive and understand not what the talk of these puffed up and arrogant spirits amount to, but their force (the moral power and excellence of soul they really possess).
20 For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power (moral power and excellence of soul).
21 Now which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of correction, or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
1 Corinthians 4
4
The Faithful Manager
1A person should consider us in this way: as servants # Jn 18:36 of Christ and managers # Lk 16:1 of God’s mysteries. # 1Co 2:7 2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. # Nm 12:7 3It is of little # Mt 5:19 importance to me that I should be evaluated # 1Co 2:14 by you or by any human court. # Lit a human day In fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. 4For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified # Ac 13:39 by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. 5Therefore don’t judge # Lk 6:37 anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, # Mk 8:38; 1Pt 5:6 who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. # 2Co 10:18
The Apostles’ Example of Humility
6Now, brothers, # Ac 9:30 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos # Ti 3:13 for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” # The words in quotation marks could = the OT, a Jewish maxim, or a popular proverb. The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. 7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? 8You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us — and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! 9For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! # 1Pt 5:14 We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12we labor, working # 2Jn 8 with our own hands. # Ac 18:3 When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. # Is 64:6; Lm 3:45
Paul’s Fatherly Care
14I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. # 1Th 2:11; Phm 1 15For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can’t have many fathers. For I became your father # Gl 4:19; Phm 10 in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17This is why I have sent # 2Co 9:3; Eph 6:21-22; Col 4:7-8; Phm 12 Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful # Nm 12:7 son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you soon, # Ac 19:21; 1Co 16:5; 2Co 1:15-16 if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, # 2Co 1:23; 2:1,3; 12:20-21; 13:2,10 or in love and a spirit of gentleness? # Jms 3:13
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