1 Corinthians 4
New English Translation
The Apostles’ Ministry
4 One[a] should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful. 3 So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. 5 So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will[b] bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition[c] from God.
6 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters,[d] so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. 7 For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not? 8 Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you! 9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored! 11 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads. 12 We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure, 13 when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world’s dirt and scum, even now.
A Father’s Warning
14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children. 15 For though you may have 10,000 guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ,[e] as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some have become arrogant,[f] as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. 20 For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline[g] or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 4:1 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is both indefinite and general, “one”; “a person” (BDAG 81 s.v. 4.a.γ).
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 tn Grk “time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 tn Or “praise.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
- 1 Corinthians 4:17 tc ‡ Several significant mss read ᾿Ιησοῦ (Iēsou, “Jesus”) after Χριστῷ (Christō, “Christ”) in v. 17 (so P46 א C D1 33 1739 al). Western mss have κυρίῳ ᾿Ιησοῦ (kuriō Iēsou, “Lord Jesus”; D* F G), while several significant mss, as well as the majority, have only Χριστῷ here (A B D2 Ψ M sa). Once ᾿Ιησοῦ got into the text, it would continue to be copied. There is however no easy explanation for the word lacking in so many witnesses. Thus the shorter reading appears to be autographic. NA28 includes ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
- 1 Corinthians 4:18 tn Grk “puffed up”; “inflated.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:21 tn Grk “rod.” Context indicates that this rod will be used for disciplinary purposes.sn Paul is using the term rod in this context to refer to his apostolic authority to discipline those who have become arrogant in the Corinthian church and have attempted to undermine his ministry (cf. 4:18-19).
1 Corinthians 4
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
4 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. 2 In this connection hōde then loipos, it is required zēteō of en · ho stewards oikonomos that hina they tis be found heuriskō trustworthy pistos. 3 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. 4 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. 5 So then hōste, stop mē 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.
6 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 mē 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. 7 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 mē receive lambanō it?
8 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! 9 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 mē 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?
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