The Ministry of Apostles

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and (A)stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. (B)For I am not aware of anything against myself, (C)but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore (D)do not pronounce judgment before the time, (E)before the Lord comes, (F)who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. (G)Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers,[a] that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may (H)be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? (I)What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Already you have all you want! 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! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, (J)like men sentenced to death, because we (K)have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 (L)We are fools for Christ's sake, but (M)you are wise in Christ. (N)We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour (O)we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and (P)buffeted and (Q)homeless, 12 and we (R)labor, working with our own hands. (S)When reviled, we bless; (T)when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. (U)We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, (V)the refuse of all things.

14 I do not write these things (W)to make you ashamed, but to admonish you (X)as my beloved children. 15 For (Y)though you have countless[b] guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For (Z)I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, (AA)be imitators of me. 17 That is why (AB)I sent[c] you Timothy, (AC)my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,[d] (AD)as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are (AE)arrogant, (AF)as though I were not coming to you. 19 But (AG)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. 20 For (AH)the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? (AI)Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 4:6 Or brothers and sisters
  2. 1 Corinthians 4:15 Greek you have ten thousand
  3. 1 Corinthians 4:17 Or am sending
  4. 1 Corinthians 4:17 Some manuscripts add Jesus

This is how houtōs one anthrōpos should regard logizomai us hēmeis, as hōs servants hypēretēs of Christ Christos and kai stewards oikonomos of God’ s theos mysteries mystērion. In this connection hōde then loipos, it is required zēteō of en · ho stewards oikonomos that hina they tis be found heuriskō trustworthy pistos. But de for me egō it is eimi a matter of the least consequence elachistos that hina I should be judged anakrinō by hypo you hymeis or ē by hypo any human anthrōpinos court hēmera. In fact alla, I do anakrinō not even oude judge anakrinō myself emautou. For gar I am synoida not aware of synoida anything oudeis against myself emautou, yet alla not ou because en of this houtos am I acquitted dikaioō. It is eimi the ho · de Lord kyrios who judges anakrinō me egō. So then hōste, stop passing judgment on krinō anything tis before pro the time kairos, before heōs an the ho Lord kyrios comes erchomai. He hos · kai will bring to light phōtizō the ho hidden kryptos things of ho darkness skotos and kai will disclose phaneroō the ho motives boulē of the ho heart kardia. · kai At that time tote · ho praise epainos will come ginomai to each hekastos from apo · ho God theos.

I have applied metaschēmatizō all this houtos · de to eis myself emautou and kai Apollos Apollōs for dia your hymeis benefit dia, brothers adelphos, that hina you may learn manthanō by en us hēmeis · ho not to go beyond hyper what hos is written graphō, that hina none mē heis of you may be puffed up physioō in favor hyper of · ho one heis against kata · ho another heteros. For gar who tis sees anything superior in diakrinō you sy? What tis · de do you have echō that hos you did not ou receive lambanō? And de if ei · kai you received lambanō it, why tis do you boast kauchaomai as hōs if you did not receive lambanō it?

Already ēdē you have eimi all you want korennymi! Already ēdē you are rich plouteō! Without chōris us hēmeis you have begun to reign basileuō! And kai would ophelon that you did reign basileuō, so that hina · kai we hēmeis could reign with symbasileuō you hymeis! For gar it seems to me dokeō that · ho God theos has displayed apodeiknymi us hēmeis, the ho apostles apostolos, last eschatos, as hōs men sentenced to death epithanatios, because hoti we have become ginomai a spectacle theatron to the ho world kosmos, both kai to angels angelos and kai to men anthrōpos. 10 We hēmeis are fools mōros for dia Christ Christos, but de you hymeis are men of wisdom phronimos in en Christ Christos! We hēmeis are weak asthenēs, but de you hymeis are strong ischuros! You hymeis are distinguished endoxos, but de we hēmeis are dishonored atimos! 11 To achri this ho present arti hour hōra · kai we are hungry peinaō and kai thirsty dipsaō, · kai poorly clothed gymniteuō, · kai knocked about kolaphizō, and kai homeless astateō. 12 · kai We labor kopiaō, working ergazomai with ho our own idios hands cheir. When reviled loidoreō, we bless eulogeō; when persecuted diōkō, we endure anechōmai; 13 when slandered dysphēmeō, we respond kindly parakaleō. We have become ginomai, as hōs it were , the scum perikatharma of the ho world kosmos, the refuse peripsēma of all things pas, even heōs now arti.

14 I am graphō not ou writing graphō these things houtos to shame entrepō you hymeis, but alla to admonish noutheteō you as hōs my egō dear agapētos children teknon. 15 For gar though ean you have echō innumerable myrios guardians paidagōgos in en Christ Christos, you do not ou have many polys fathers patēr, because gar I egō became gennaō your hymeis father gennaō in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous through dia the ho gospel euangelion. 16 I urge parakaleō you hymeis, therefore oun, be ginomai imitators mimētēs of me egō. 17 That is why dia I sent pempō to you hymeis Timothy Timotheos, who hos is eimi my egō beloved agapētos and kai faithful pistos child teknon in en the Lord kyrios. He hos will remind anamimnēskō you hymeis of ho my egō ways hodos · ho in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, as kathōs I teach didaskō them everywhere pantachou in en every pas church ekklēsia. 18 Some tis have become arrogant physioō, as hōs though I egō were not coming erchomai · de to pros you hymeis. 19 But de I will come erchomai to pros you hymeis soon tacheōs, if ean the ho Lord kyrios wills thelō, and kai I will find ginōskō out not ou the ho speech logos of these ho arrogant physioō people but alla their ho power dynamis. 20 For gar the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos is not ou a matter of en talk logos but alla of en power dynamis. 21 What tis would you prefer thelō? Shall I come erchomai to pros you hymeis with en a rod rhabdos of correction or ē with en love agapē in a spirit pneuma of gentleness prautēs?