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. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But 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. 4 For 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
6 Now 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. 7 For 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?
8 You 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! 9 For 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. 10 We 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! 11 To 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; 13 being 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
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but (O)as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For 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. 16 Therefore I urge you, (Q)imitate me. 17 For 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. 20 For (Z)the kingdom of God is not in word but in (AA)power. 21 What 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
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. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 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. 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. 5 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.
6 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. 7 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?
8 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! 9 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 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
1 Corinto 4
Ang Biblia (1978)
4 Ipalagay nga kami ng sinoman na (A)mga ministro ni Cristo, (B)at mga katiwala ng (C)mga hiwaga ng Dios.
2 Bukod dito'y kinakailangan sa mga katiwala, na ang bawa't isa ay maging (D)tapat.
3 Datapuwa't sa ganang akin ay isang bagay na totoong maliit ang ako'y (E)siyasatin ninyo, o ng (F)pagsisiyasat ng tao: oo, ako'y hindi nagsisiyasat sa aking sarili.
4 Sapagka't (G)wala akong nalalamang anomang laban sa aking sarili; bagaman (H)hindi dahil dito'y inaaring-ganap ako: sapagka't ang nagsisiyasat sa akin ay ang Panginoon.
5 Kaya nga (I)huwag muna kayong magsihatol ng anoman, hanggang sa dumating ang Panginoon, na siya ang maghahayag ng mga bagay na nalilihim sa kadiliman, at ipahahayag naman ang mga haka ng mga puso; at kung magkagayon ang bawa't isa ay magkakaroon ng kapurihan sa Dios.
6 Ang mga bagay ngang ito, mga kapatid, ay (J)inianyo ko sa halimbawa sa aking sarili at kay Apolos dahil sa inyo; upang sa amin ay mangatuto kayo na huwag magsihigit sa mga bagay na nangasusulat; (K)upang ang sinoman sa inyo ay huwag magpalalo ang isa laban sa iba.
7 Sapagka't sino ang gumawa na ikaw ay matangi? (L)at anong nasa iyo na hindi mo tinanggap? nguni't kung tinanggap mo, ay bakit mo ipinagmamapuri na tulad sa hindi mo tinanggap?
8 Kayo'y mga busog na, kayo'y mayayaman na, kayo'y nangaghari nang wala kami: at ibig ko sanang mangaghari kayo, upang kami nama'y mangagharing kasama ninyo.
9 Sapagka't iniisip ko, na pinalitaw ng Dios kaming mga apostol na mga kahulihulihan sa lahat, na tulad sa mga itinalaga sa kamatayan: sapagka't kami'y ginawang panoorin ng sanglibutan, at ng mga anghel, at ng mga tao.
10 Kami'y mga mangmang dahil (M)kay Cristo, nguni't kayo'y marurunong kay Cristo; (N)kami'y mahihina, nguni't kayo'y malalakas; kayo'y may karangalan, datapuwa't kami ay walang kapurihan.
11 Hanggang sa oras na ito'y (O)nangagugutom kami, at nangauuhaw, at mga hubad, at mga tinampal, at wala kaming tiyak na tahanan;
12 At (P)kami'y nangagpapagal, na nangagsisigawa ng aming sariling mga kamay: (Q)bagama't inuupasala, ay kami'y nangagpapala; (R)bagama't mga pinaguusig, ay nangagtitiis kami;
13 Bagama't mga sinisiraang-puri, ay aming pinamamanhikan: kami'y naging tulad ng yagit sa sanglibutan, sukal ng lahat ng mga bagay hanggang ngayon.
14 Hindi ko isinusulat ang mga bagay na ito upang kayo'y hiyain, kundi upang paalalahanan kayong (S)tulad sa aking mga minamahal na anak.
15 Sapagka't bagaman mangagkaroon kayo ng sampung libong mga guro kay Cristo, ay wala nga kayong maraming mga ama; sapagka't (T)kay Cristo Jesus ipinanganak ko kayo sa pamamagitan ng evangelio.
16 Ipinamamanhik ko nga sa inyo, (U)na kayo'y maging mga tagatulad sa akin.
17 Dahil dito'y aking sinugo sa inyo si (V)Timoteo, (W)na aking minamahal at tapat na anak sa Panginoon, na siya ang sa inyo'y magpapaalaala ng aking mga daang nanga kay Cristo, (X)gaya ng itinuturo ko saan mang dako sa bawa't iglesia.
18 Ang mga iba nga'y nangagpapalalo, na waring hindi na ako mapapariyan sa inyo.
19 Nguni't ako'y paririyan (Y)agad sa inyo, kung loloobin ng Panginoon; at aking aalamin, hindi ang salita ng nangagpapalalo, kundi ang kapangyarihan.
20 Sapagka't ang kaharian ng Dios ay hindi sa salita, kundi sa kapangyarihan.
21 Anong ibig ninyo? (Z)paririyan baga ako sa inyo na may panghampas, o sa pagibig, at sa espiritu ng kahinahunan?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Ang Biblia Copyright © Philippine Bible Society 1905, 1915, 1933, 1978
