哥林多前書 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
基督的使徒
4 因此，人應該把我們當作是基督的僕人，是上帝奧祕之事的管家。 2 對管家的要求是忠心。 3 我對你們或別人給我的評價毫不介意，我也不評價我自己。 4 就算我今日問心無愧，也不能自以為義，因為評價我的是主。 5 所以，時候未到，不可妄下斷語。到主耶穌再來的時候，祂會揭開暗中的隱情，使人心裡的動機顯露。到時候上帝會給各人應得的稱讚。
6 弟兄姊妹，為了你們的益處，我以亞波羅和自己作例子，好讓你們效法我們不越過聖經的準則，免得有人自高自大、厚此薄彼。 7 誰使你與眾不同呢？你有哪一樣不是領受的呢？既然一切都是領受的，你為什麼還自誇，好像不是領受的？ 8 你們已經飽足了，富有了，不需要我們，自己已經作王了。我倒希望你們真的能作王，好讓我們也和你們一同作王。 9 我想，上帝把我們使徒排在隊伍的末尾，好像被判了死罪的囚犯，讓我們成了一台戲，給全宇宙看，就是給世人和天使觀看。
10 我們為了基督的緣故被人看為愚昧，你們在基督裡倒成了聰明人；我們軟弱，你們倒強壯；你們受人尊敬，我們倒被人藐視。 11 我們至今還是又饑又渴，衣不蔽體，遭受毒打，居無定所， 12 還要親手勞作。我們被人咒罵，就為對方祝福；受人迫害，就逆來順受； 13 被人毀謗，就好言相勸。人們至今仍將我們看作世上的廢物，萬物中的渣滓。
14 我之所以寫這些事，並非是叫你們羞愧，而是像勸誡我親愛的兒女一樣勸誡你們。 15 雖然有千萬老師將基督的事教導你們，但父親並不多，因為我藉著福音在基督耶穌裡成為你們的父親。 16 所以，我勸你們效法我。 17 正因如此，我派了提摩太去你們那裡。他在主裡忠心耿耿，是我所愛的孩子。他會提醒你們我在基督裡如何行事為人，在各地、各教會如何教導人。
18 你們當中有些人以為我不會再去你們那裡，就傲慢自大起來。 19 但主若許可，我會很快去你們那裡。那時我要看看這些驕傲的人究竟是只會空談，還是真有上帝的權能。 20 因為上帝的國不在於空談，而在於權能。 21 到底你們要什麼呢？要我帶著刑杖去呢？還是要我帶著溫柔慈愛的心去呢？
1 Corinthians 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 1 Bringing in the definition of a true Apostle, 7 he showeth that humility ought rather to be an honor than a shame unto him. 9 He bringeth in proof, whereby it may evidently appear, 10 that he neither had care of glory, 11 nor of his belly. 17 He commendeth Timothy.
1 Let [a]a [b]man so think of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God:
2 [c]And as for the rest, it is required of the disposers, that every man be found faithful.
3 [d]As touching me, I pass very little to be judged of you, [e]or of man’s [f]judgment: no, [g]I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not thereby justified: but he that judgeth me, is the [h]Lord.
5 [i]Therefore (A)judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkness, and make the counsels of the hearts manifest: and then shall every man have [j]praise of God.
6 [k]Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied unto mine own self and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye might learn [l]by us, that no man presume above that which is written, that one swell not against another for any man’s cause.
7 [m]For who separateth thee? and what hast thou, that thou hast not received? if thou hast received it, why rejoicest thou, as though [n]thou hadst not received it?
8 [o]Now ye are full: now ye are made rich: ye reign as kings without us, and would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death, for we are made a [p]gassing stock unto the world, and to the Angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, and ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, and ye are strong: ye are honorable, and we are despised.
11 Unto this hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place,
12 (B)And labor, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and yet we bless: we are persecuted, and suffer it.
13 (C)We are evil spoken of, and we pray: we are made as the [q]filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, unto this time.
14 [r]I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.
16 Wherefore, I pray you, be followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, which is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, which shall put you in remembrance of my [s]ways in Christ as I teach everywhere in every Church.
18 [t]Some are puffed up as though I would not come unto you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, (D)if the Lord will, and I will know, not the [u]words of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 [v]What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the [w]spirit of meekness?
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 4:1 He concludeth the duty of the hearers towards their ministers: that they esteem them not as lords: and yet notwithstanding, that they give ear unto them, as to them that are sent from Christ, sent I say to this end and purpose, that they may receive as it were at their hands, the treasure of salvation which is drawn out of the secrets of God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:1 Every man.
- 1 Corinthians 4:2 Last of all, he warneth the ministers that they also behave themselves not as lords, but as faithful servants, because they must render an account of their stewardship unto God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:3 Because in reprehending others, he set himself for an example, he useth a preoccupation or preventing of an objection, and using the gratuity of an Apostle, he showeth that he careth not for the contrary judgments that they have of him, in that they esteemed him as a vile person, because he did not set forth himself as they did. And he bringeth good reasons why he was nothing moved with the judgments which they had of him.
- 1 Corinthians 4:3 First, because that that which men judge in these cases of their own brains, is no more to be accounted of, than when the unlearned do judge of wisdom.
- 1 Corinthians 4:3 Word for word, Day, after the manner of speech of the Cilicians.
- 1 Corinthians 4:3 Secondly, saith he, how can you judge how much or how little I am to be accounted of, seeing that I myself which know myself better than you do, and which dare profess that I have walked in my vocation with a good conscience, dare not yet notwithstanding challenge anything to myself? for I know that I am not unblameable, all this notwithstanding: much less therefore should I please myself as you do.
- 1 Corinthians 4:4 I permit myself to the Lord’s judgment.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 A third reason proceeding of a conclusion as it were, out of the former reasons. It is God’s office, to esteem every man according to his value, because he knoweth the secrets of the heart, which men for the most part are ignorant of. Therefore this judgment pertaineth not to you.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 One could not be praised above the rest, but the other should be blamed: and he mentioneth praise rather than dispraise, for that the beginning of this sore was this, that they gave more to some men than meet was.
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 Having rejected their judgment, he setteth forth himself again as a singular example of modesty, as one which concealing in this Epistle those factious teacher’s names, doubted not to put down his own name and Apollos’ in their place, and took upon him, as it were, their shame: so far was he from preferring himself to any.
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 By our example, which chose rather to take other men’s faults upon us, than to carpe any by name.
- 1 Corinthians 4:7 He showeth a good means to bridle pride: first, if thou consider how rightly thou exemptest thyself out of the number of others, seeing thou art a man thyself: again, if thou consider that although thou have something more than other men have, yet thou hast it not but by God’s bountifulness. And what wise man is he that will brag of another’s goodness, and that against God?
- 1 Corinthians 4:7 There is nothing then in us of nature, that is worthy of commendation: but all that we have, we have it of grace, which the Pelagians and half Pelagians will not confess.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8 He descendeth to a most grave mock, to cause these ambitious men to blush even against their wills.
- 1 Corinthians 4:9 He that will take a right view how like Paul and the Pope are, who lyingly boasteth that he is his successor, let him compare the delicates of the Popish court with Saint Paul’s state, as we see it here.
- 1 Corinthians 4:13 Such as by sweeping is gathered together.
- 1 Corinthians 4:14 Moderating the sharpness of his mock, he putteth them in mind to remember of whom they were begotten in Christ, and that they should not doubt to follow him for an example, although he seem vile according to the outward show, in respect of others, yet mighty by the efficacy of God’s Spirit, as they had trial thereof in themselves.
- 1 Corinthians 4:17 What way and rule I follow everywhere in teaching the Churches.
- 1 Corinthians 4:18 Last of all he descendeth also to Apostolic threatenings, but yet chiding them as a father, lest by their disorder he be constrained to come to punish some among them.
- 1 Corinthians 4:19 By words, he meaneth their painted and colored kind of eloquence, against which he setteth the virtue of the Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 4:21 A passing over to another part of this Epistle, wherein he reprehended more sharply a very heinous offence, showing the use of ecclesiastical correction.
- 1 Corinthians 4:21 Meekly affected towards you.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
