1 Corinthians 4

New King James Version

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

4 Let a man so consider us, as ^(A)servants of Christ ^(B)and stewards of the mysteries of God. ²Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. ³But 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. ⁴For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. ⁵^(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

⁶Now 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. ⁷For 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?

⁸You 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! ⁹For 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. ¹⁰We 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! ¹¹To 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; ¹³being 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

¹⁴I do not write these things to shame you, but ^(O)as my beloved children I warn you. ¹⁵For 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. ¹⁶Therefore I urge you, ^(Q)imitate me. ¹⁷For 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. ²⁰For ^(Z)the kingdom of God is not in word but in ^(AA)power. ²¹What do you want? ^(AB)Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes

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

ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΟΥΣ Α΄ 4

1894 Scrivener New Testament

4 ουτως ημας λογιζεσθω ανθρωπος ως υπηρετας χριστου και οικονομους μυστηριων θεου

²ο δε λοιπον ζητειται εν τοις οικονομοις ινα πιστος τις ευρεθη

³εμοι δε εις ελαχιστον εστιν ινα υφ υμων ανακριθω η υπο ανθρωπινης ημερας αλλ ουδε εμαυτον ανακρινω

⁴ουδεν γαρ εμαυτω συνοιδα αλλ ουκ εν τουτω δεδικαιωμαι ο δε ανακρινων με κυριος εστιν

⁵ωστε μη προ καιρου τι κρινετε εως αν ελθη ο κυριος ος και φωτισει τα κρυπτα του σκοτους και φανερωσει τας βουλας των καρδιων και τοτε ο επαινος γενησεται εκαστω απο του θεου

⁶ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου

⁷τις γαρ σε διακρινει τι δε εχεις ο ουκ ελαβες ει δε και ελαβες τι καυχασαι ως μη λαβων

⁸ηδη κεκορεσμενοι εστε ηδη επλουτησατε χωρις ημων εβασιλευσατε και οφελον γε εβασιλευσατε ινα και ημεις υμιν συμβασιλευσωμεν

⁹δοκω γαρ οτι ο θεος ημας τους αποστολους εσχατους απεδειξεν ως επιθανατιους οτι θεατρον εγενηθημεν τω κοσμω και αγγελοις και ανθρωποις

¹⁰ημεις μωροι δια χριστον υμεις δε φρονιμοι εν χριστω ημεις ασθενεις υμεις δε ισχυροι υμεις ενδοξοι ημεις δε ατιμοι

¹¹αχρι της αρτι ωρας και πεινωμεν και διψωμεν και γυμνητευομεν και κολαφιζομεθα και αστατουμεν

¹²και κοπιωμεν εργαζομενοι ταις ιδιαις χερσιν λοιδορουμενοι ευλογουμεν διωκομενοι ανεχομεθα

¹³βλασφημουμενοι παρακαλουμεν ως περικαθαρματα του κοσμου εγενηθημεν παντων περιψημα εως αρτι

¹⁴ουκ εντρεπων υμας γραφω ταυτα αλλ ως τεκνα μου αγαπητα νουθετω

¹⁵εαν γαρ μυριους παιδαγωγους εχητε εν χριστω αλλ ου πολλους πατερας εν γαρ χριστω ιησου δια του ευαγγελιου εγω υμας εγεννησα

¹⁶παρακαλω ουν υμας μιμηται μου γινεσθε

¹⁷δια τουτο επεμψα υμιν τιμοθεον ος εστιν τεκνον μου αγαπητον και πιστον εν κυριω ος υμας αναμνησει τας οδους μου τας εν χριστω καθως πανταχου εν παση εκκλησια διδασκω

¹⁸ως μη ερχομενου δε μου προς υμας εφυσιωθησαν τινες

¹⁹ελευσομαι δε ταχεως προς υμας εαν ο κυριος θεληση και γνωσομαι ου τον λογον των πεφυσιωμενων αλλα την δυναμιν

²⁰ου γαρ εν λογω η βασιλεια του θεου αλλ εν δυναμει

²¹τι θελετε εν ραβδω ελθω προς υμας η εν αγαπη πνευματι τε πραοτητος

1 Corinthians 4

Young's Literal Translation

4 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,

²and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,

³and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man's day, but not even myself do I judge,

⁴for of nothing to myself have I been conscious, but not in this have I been declared right -- and he who is discerning me is the Lord:

⁵so, then, nothing before the time judge ye, till the Lord may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise shall come to each from God.

⁶And these things, brethren, I did transfer to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us ye may learn not to think above that which hath been written, that ye may not be puffed up one for one against the other,

⁷for who doth make thee to differ? and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and if thou didst also receive, why dost thou glory as not having received?

⁸Already ye are having been filled, already ye were rich, apart from us ye did reign, and I would also ye did reign, that we also with you may reign together,

⁹for I think that God did set forth us the apostles last -- as appointed to death, because a spectacle we became to the world, and messengers, and men;

¹⁰we [are] fools because of Christ, and ye wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and ye strong; ye glorious, and we dishonoured;

¹¹unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander about,

¹²and labour, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer;

¹³being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.

¹⁴Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but as my beloved children I do admonish,

¹⁵for if a myriad of child-conductors ye may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I -- I did beget you;

¹⁶I call upon you, therefore, become ye followers of me;

¹⁷because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who shall remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.

¹⁸And as if I were not coming unto you certain were puffed up;

¹⁹but I will come quickly unto you, if the Lord may will, and I will know not the word of those puffed up, but the power;

²⁰for not in word is the reign of God, but in power?

²¹what do ye wish? with a rod shall I come unto you, or in love, with a spirit also of meekness?

New King James Version (NKJV)

1894 Scrivener New Testament (TR1894)

by Public Domain

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

by Public Domain

1 Corinthians 4 New King James Version