1 Corinthians 4

King James Version

4 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

²Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

³But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

⁴For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

⁶And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

⁷For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

⁸Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

⁹For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

¹¹Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

¹²And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

¹³Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

¹⁴I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

¹⁵For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

¹⁶Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

¹⁷For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

²⁰For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

²¹What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

1 Corinthiërs 4

BasisBijbel

Paulus als voorbeeld

4 Wij zijn dienaren van Christus. Wij moeten Gods plannen bekendmaken. Dat is de taak die Hij ons heeft toevertrouwd. ²Een dienaar moet betrouwbaar zijn. Dat is het allerbelangrijkste. ³Nu is het zo, dat het mij helemaal niet uitmaakt hoe jullie of andere mensen mij beoordelen. Het maakt mij zelfs niet uit hoe ík mijzelf beoordeel. ⁴Ik ben mij zelf niet bewust dat ik iets verkeerd doe. Maar dat betekent niet, dat ik inderdaad niets fout doe. Alleen weet ik het niet. Alleen de Heer kan mij beoordelen. ⁵Jullie hoeven dus je mening niet te geven over mij. Laat dat maar aan de Heer over. Hij zal oordelen op de dag dat Hij terugkomt. Dan zal Hij ook de dingen die niet te zien zijn, zichtbaar maken. Hij zal bekend maken wat er diep in de harten van de mensen verborgen is. En dan zal iedereen van God krijgen wat hij verdient.

⁶Broeders en zusters, ik vertel jullie dit over mij en Apollos, omdat ik graag wil dat jullie ons als voorbeeld zullen nemen. Doe wat wij jullie geschreven hebben en wees bescheiden. Want als jullie opscheppen tegen de één, doen jullie de ander tekort! ⁷Want waarom zou de één beter zijn dan de ander? Eigenlijk heeft toch niemand iets van zichzelf? We hebben toch alles van God gekregen? Omdat jullie alles hebben gekregen, is er dus niets om over op te scheppen.

⁸Maar jullie doen alsof jullie al geen geestelijk voedsel meer nodig hebben. Dat jullie geestelijk al rijk genoeg geworden zijn. Jullie voelen je als koningen. Maar dan wel zonder ons! Was het maar waar dat jullie al koning waren. Want dan waren wij dat ook! ⁹Maar het lijkt er veel op dat God ons, zijn boodschappers, de laagste plaats heeft gegeven. Net als mensen die zijn veroordeeld tot de dood in de arena. Want net als in de arena kijkt iedereen toe hoe wij strijden. Mensen en engelen kijken naar ons.

¹⁰Wíj worden belachelijk gevonden vanwege Christus. Maar júllie zijn van die verstandige gelovigen! Wíj zijn zwak. Maar júllie zijn zo sterk! Voor júllie hebben de mensen veel respect. Maar met óns willen ze niets te maken hebben. ¹¹We hebben steeds weer honger en dorst en gebrek aan kleren. Steeds weer worden we gestompt en geslagen. We hebben geen vaste plaats om te wonen. ¹²We werken hard om ons brood te verdienen. We worden uitgescholden, maar wíj zegenen. We worden vervolgd, maar we verdragen het. ¹³De mensen vertellen leugens over ons rond, maar we blijven vriendelijk. We worden aldoor behandeld als vuil, als mensen waar iedereen tegenaan mag trappen.

¹⁴Ik schrijf dit niet omdat ik wil dat jullie je nu gaan schamen. Maar ik schrijf het om jullie te waarschuwen en raad te geven. Want ik houd zo veel van jullie alsof jullie mijn eigen kinderen zijn. ¹⁵Want al zijn er misschien duizenden mensen die jullie opvoeden in Christus, jullie hebben maar één vader. Ik ben die vader. Want ik heb jullie in Jezus Christus het leven geschonken door jullie het goede nieuws te vertellen. ¹⁶En als vader moedig ik jullie nu aan om mij als voorbeeld te nemen en te doen als ik.

¹⁷Daarom heb ik Timoteüs ook naar jullie toe gestuurd. Ik houd van hem alsof hij mijn eigen zoon is. In de Heer ís hij ook mijn zoon. Hij zal jullie leren hoe ik met Christus leef en wat ik aan alle gemeenten leer.

¹⁸Maar sommigen van jullie zijn opschepperig geworden. Ze denken dat ik toch niet meer zal komen. ¹⁹Maar ik hoop heel gauw te komen, als de Heer het wil. Dan zal ik eens komen kijken, niet naar de woorden van die opscheppers, maar naar hun kracht. ²⁰Want het Koninkrijk van God bestaat niet uit mooie woorden, maar uit kracht. ²¹Wat willen jullie? Moet ik jullie dan met harde woorden komen bestraffen? Of zal ik met liefde en vriendelijkheid kunnen komen?

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

1 Corinthians 4

New International Version

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 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. ²Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴My conscience^(D) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^(E) It is the Lord who judges me.^(F) ⁵Therefore 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)

⁶Now, 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) ⁷For 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?

⁸Already 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! ⁹For 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. ¹⁰We 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! ¹¹To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^(T) ¹²We work hard with our own hands.^(U) When we are cursed, we bless;^(V) when we are persecuted,^(W) we endure it; ¹³when 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

¹⁴I am writing this not to shame you^(Y) but to warn you as my dear children.^(Z) ¹⁵Even 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) ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^(AC) ¹⁷For 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)

¹⁸Some of you have become arrogant,^(AH) as if I were not coming to you.^(AI) ¹⁹But 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. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(AL) talk but of power.^(AM) ²¹What 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?

1 Corinthians 4

English Standard Version

The Ministry of Apostles

4 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and ^(A)stewards of the mysteries of God. ²Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. ³But 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. ⁴^(B)For I am not aware of anything against myself, ^(C)but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵Therefore ^(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.

⁶I 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. ⁷For 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?

⁸Already 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! ⁹For 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. ¹¹To the present hour ^(O)we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and ^(P)buffeted and ^(Q)homeless, ¹²and we ^(R)labor, working with our own hands. ^(S)When reviled, we bless; ^(T)when persecuted, we endure; ¹³when slandered, we entreat. ^(U)We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, ^(V)the refuse of all things.

¹⁴I do not write these things ^(W)to make you ashamed, but to admonish you ^(X)as my beloved children. ¹⁵For ^(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. ¹⁶I urge you, then, ^(AA)be imitators of me. ¹⁷That 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. ¹⁸Some are ^(AE)arrogant, ^(AF)as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But ^(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. ²⁰For ^(AH)the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. ²¹What do you wish? ^(AI)Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes

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

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

BasisBijbel (BB)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)

1 Corinthians 4

King James Version