基督的使徒

因此,人应该把我们当作是基督的仆人,是上帝奥秘之事的管家。 对管家的要求是忠心。 我对你们或别人给我的评价毫不介意,我也不评价我自己。 就算我今日问心无愧,也不能自以为义,因为评价我的是主。 所以,时候未到,不可妄下断语。到主耶稣再来的时候,祂会揭开暗中的隐情,使人心里的动机显露。到时候上帝会给各人应得的称赞。

弟兄姊妹,为了你们的益处,我以亚波罗和自己作例子,好让你们效法我们不越过圣经的准则,免得有人自高自大、厚此薄彼。 谁使你与众不同呢?你有哪一样不是领受的呢?既然一切都是领受的,你为什么还自夸,好像不是领受的? 你们已经饱足了,富有了,不需要我们,自己已经做王了。我倒希望你们真的能做王,好让我们也和你们一同做王。 我想,上帝把我们使徒排在队伍的末尾,好像被判了死罪的囚犯,让我们成了一台戏,给全宇宙看,就是给世人和天使观看。

10 我们为了基督的缘故被人看为愚昧,你们在基督里倒成了聪明人;我们软弱,你们倒强壮;你们受人尊敬,我们倒被人藐视。 11 我们至今还是又饥又渴,衣不蔽体,遭受毒打,居无定所, 12 还要亲手劳作。我们被人咒骂,就为对方祝福;受人迫害,就逆来顺受; 13 被人毁谤,就好言相劝。人们至今仍将我们看作世上的废物,万物中的渣滓。

14 我之所以写这些事,并非是叫你们羞愧,而是像劝诫我亲爱的儿女一样劝诫你们。 15 虽然有千万老师将基督的事教导你们,但父亲并不多,因为我借着福音在基督耶稣里成为你们的父亲。 16 所以,我劝你们效法我。 17 正因如此,我派了提摩太去你们那里。他在主里忠心耿耿,是我所爱的孩子。他会提醒你们我在基督里如何行事为人,在各地、各教会如何教导人。

18 你们当中有些人以为我不会再去你们那里,就傲慢自大起来。 19 但主若许可,我会很快去你们那里。那时我要看看这些骄傲的人究竟是只会空谈,还是真有上帝的权能。 20 因为上帝的国不在于空谈,而在于权能。 21 到底你们要什么呢?要我带着刑杖去呢?还是要我带着温柔慈爱的心去呢?

Apostles of Christ

This is what people should think about us: We are servants of Christ. We are the ones God has trusted with his secret truths. A person who is trusted with something must show that he is worthy of that trust. I do not care if I am judged by you or if I am judged by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I know of no wrong that I have done. But this does not make me innocent. The Lord is the One who judges me. So do not judge before the right time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light things that are now hidden in darkness. He will make known the secret purposes of people’s hearts. Then God will give everyone the praise he should get.

Brothers, I have used Apollos and myself as examples. I did this so that you could learn from us the meaning of the words, “Follow only what is written in the Scriptures.” Then you will not be proud of one man and hate another. Who says that you are better than others? Everything you have was given to you. And if this is so, why do you brag as if you got these things by your own power?

You think you have everything you need. You think you are rich. You think you have become kings without us. I wish you really were kings! Then we could be kings together with you. But it seems to me that God has given me and the other apostles the last place. We are like men sentenced to die. We are like a show for the whole world to see—angels and people. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake. But you think you are very wise in Christ. We are weak, but you think you are strong. You receive honor, but we are hated. 11 Even now we still do not have enough to eat or drink or enough clothes. We are often beaten. We have no homes. 12 We work hard with our own hands for our food. People curse us, but we bless them. They hurt us, and we accept it. 13 They say evil things against us, but we say only kind things to them. Even today, we are treated as though we are the garbage of the world—the dirt of the earth.

14 I am not trying to make you feel ashamed. I am writing this to give you a warning as if you were my own dear children. 15 For though you may have 10,000 teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Through the Good News I became your father in Christ Jesus. 16 So I beg you, please be like me. 17 That is why I am sending Timothy to you. He is my son in the Lord. I love Timothy, and he is faithful. He will help you remember the way I live in Christ Jesus. This way of life is what I teach in all the churches everywhere.

18 Some of you have become proud, thinking that I will not come to you again. 19 But I will come very soon if the Lord wants me to. Then I will see what those who are proud can do, not what they say. 20 I want to see this because the kingdom of God is not talk but power. 21 Which do you want: that I come to you with punishment, or that I come with love and gentleness?

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

Let a man so consider us, as (A)servants of Christ (B)and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human [a]court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. (C)Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to (D)light the hidden things of darkness and (E)reveal the [b]counsels of the hearts. (F)Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Fools for Christ’s Sake

Now 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 [c]puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For who [d]makes you differ from another? And (G)what 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?

You are already full! (H)You 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! For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a (I)spectacle [e]to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are (J)fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! (K)We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 (L)And we labor, working with our own hands. (M)Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we [f]entreat. (N)We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

Paul’s Paternal Care

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but (O)as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for (P)in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, (Q)imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent (R)Timothy to you, (S)who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will (T)remind you of my ways in Christ, as I (U)teach everywhere (V)in every church.

18 (W)Now some are [g]puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 (X)But I will come to you shortly, (Y)if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20 For (Z)the kingdom of God is not in word but in (AA)power. 21 What do you want? (AB)Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 4:3 Lit. day
  2. 1 Corinthians 4:5 motives
  3. 1 Corinthians 4:6 arrogant
  4. 1 Corinthians 4:7 distinguishes you
  5. 1 Corinthians 4:9 Lit. theater
  6. 1 Corinthians 4:13 exhort, encourage
  7. 1 Corinthians 4:18 arrogant

Atumiki a Khristu

Choncho tsono anthu atione ife monga atumiki a Khristu, ndiponso ngati osunga zinsinsi za Mulungu. Chofunika kwambiri nʼchakuti amene apatsidwa udindo oyangʼanira aonetse kukhulupirika. Ine ndilibe nazo kanthu ngati ndiweruzidwa ndi inu kapena khothi lina lililonse. Ndithu, inenso sindidziweruza ndekha. Chikumbumtima changa sichikunditsutsa, koma sikuti ndine wolungama. Wondiweruza ine ndi Ambuye. Chomwecho musaweruze nthawi yoweruza isanakwane. Dikirani mpaka Ambuye atabwera. Iye adzaonetsa poyera zimene zabisika mu mdima ndipo adzaonetsa maganizo a mʼmitima ya anthu. Pa nthawi imeneyo aliyense adzalandira kwa Mulungu chiyamiko.

Tsono abale, ndapereka chitsanzo cha ine mwini ndi Apolo kuti mupindule. Phunzirani kwa ife tanthauzo la mawu akuti, “Musamapitirire zimene Malemba akunena,” kuti musamanyade pamene wina aposa mnzake. Pakuti ndani amakusiyanitsani ndi wina aliyense? Nʼchiyani muli nacho chimene simunalandire? Ndipo ngati munalandira, bwanji mumadzitukumula ngati kuti simunalandire?

Inu muli nazo kale zonse zimene mufuna! Inu mwalemera kale! Inu mwayamba kale kulamulira ife! Ndilakalaka mukanakhaladi mafumu kuti ife tikhale nawo mafumu pamodzi ndi inu. Pakuti kwa ine zikuoneka ngati kuti Mulungu watiyika ife atumwi pachionetsero, kumapeto kwa mndandanda, monga anthu oweruzidwa kuti akaphedwe mʼmabwalo. Ife tayikidwa kuti tionekere ku dziko lonse, kwa angelo ndi anthu. 10 Ife ndife opusa chifukwa cha Khristu, koma inu ndinu anzeru mwa Khristu! Ife ndife ofowoka koma inu ndinu amphamvu! Inu ndinu olemekezeka koma ife ndife opeputsidwa! 11 Mpaka pano tili ndi njala ndi ludzu, tili ndi sanza, tikuzunzidwa, tilibe nyumba. 12 Timagwira ntchito molimbika ndi manja athu. Akamatitemberera, ife timadalitsa; tikasautsidwa, ife timapirira. 13 Pamene atilalatira timayankha mwachifundo. Mpaka pano takhala ngati zinyalala za dziko, monga zakudzala za dziko lapansi.

Pempho ndi Chenjezo

14 Sindikulemba izi kuti ndikuchititseni manyazi, koma kukuchenjezani monga ana anga okondedwa. 15 Ngakhale muli ndi anthu 10,000 okutsogolerani mwa Khristu, mulibe abambo ambiri, popeza mwa Khristu Yesu, ine ndakhala abambo anu kudzera mu Uthenga Wabwino. 16 Chifukwa chake ndikukupemphani kuti munditsanze ine. 17 Chifukwa cha ichi ndikutumiza kwa inu Timoteyo, mwana wanga amene ndimamukonda, amene ndi wokhulupirika mwa Ambuye. Adzakukumbutsani inuyo za moyo wanga mwa Khristu Yesu, umene ukugwirizana ndi zimene ndimaphunzitsa paliponse mu mpingo uliwonse.

18 Ena mwa inu mukudzitukumula, ngati kuti sindingabwere kwanu. 19 Koma ndibwera kwanuko posachedwapa, ngati Ambuye alola, ndipo ndi pamene ndidzadziwe osati zimene anthu odzitukumulawa akuyankhula, koma kuti mphamvu zawo nʼzotani. 20 Pakuti ufumu wa Mulungu si mawu chabe koma mphamvu. 21 Kodi musankha chiyani? Kodi ndidzabwere ndi chikwapu, kapena mu chikondi ndiponso mwa mzimu wofatsa?

The Nature of True Apostleship

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants(A) of Christ and as those entrusted(B) with the mysteries(C) God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience(D) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.(E) It is the Lord who judges me.(F) Therefore judge nothing(G) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.(H) He will bring to light(I) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.(J)

Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”(K) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.(L) For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?(M) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!(N) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die(O) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle(P) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ,(Q) but you are so wise in Christ!(R) We are weak, but you are strong!(S) You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.(T) 12 We work hard with our own hands.(U) When we are cursed, we bless;(V) when we are persecuted,(W) we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage(X) of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

14 I am writing this not to shame you(Y) but to warn you as my dear children.(Z) 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father(AA) through the gospel.(AB) 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.(AC) 17 For this reason I have sent to you(AD) Timothy,(AE) my son(AF) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.(AG)

18 Some of you have become arrogant,(AH) as if I were not coming to you.(AI) 19 But I will come to you very soon,(AJ) if the Lord is willing,(AK) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of(AL) talk but of power.(AM) 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,(AN) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?