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The Faithful Manager

A person should think of us in this way: as servants(A) of Christ and managers(B) of the mysteries of God.(C) In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.(D) It is of little(E) importance to me that I should be judged(F) by you or by any human court.[a] In fact, I don’t even judge myself. For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified(G) by this. It is the Lord who judges me. So don’t judge(H) anything prematurely, before the Lord comes,(I) who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.(J)

The Apostles’ Example of Humility

Now, brothers and sisters,(K) I have applied these things to myself and Apollos(L) for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: ‘Nothing beyond what is written.’ The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favouring one person over another. For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us – and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: 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!(M) We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonoured! 11 Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12 we labour, working(N) with our own hands.(O) When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s rubbish.(P)

Paul’s Fatherly Care

14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.(Q) 15 For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father(R) in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 This is why I have sent(S) Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful(T) child in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

18 Now some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon,(U) if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk, but the power of those who are arrogant. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. 21 What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod,(V) or in love and a spirit of gentleness?(W)

Footnotes

  1. 4:3 Lit a human day

The Nature of True Apostleship

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

Now, 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) For 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?

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

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

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

Solo Dios es juez

Que todo hombre nos considere de esta manera: como servidores de Cristo(A) y administradores(B) de los misterios de Dios(C). Ahora bien, lo que se requiere además de[a] los administradores es que cada uno sea hallado fiel. En cuanto a mí, es de poca importancia que yo sea juzgado por ustedes o por cualquier tribunal[b] humano. De hecho, ni aun yo me juzgo a mí mismo. Porque no estoy consciente(D) de nada en contra mía. Pero no por eso estoy sin culpa(E), pues el que me juzga es el Señor. Por tanto, no juzguen(F) antes de tiempo[c], sino esperen hasta que el Señor venga(G), el cual sacará a la luz las cosas ocultas en las tinieblas y también pondrá de manifiesto los designios de los corazones(H). Entonces cada uno recibirá de parte de Dios(I) la alabanza que le corresponda.

Esto, hermanos, lo he aplicado en sentido figurado a mí mismo y a Apolos por amor a ustedes, para que en nosotros aprendan a no sobrepasar lo que está escrito(J), para que ninguno de ustedes se vuelva arrogante[d](K) a favor del uno contra el otro(L). Porque ¿quién te distingue? ¿Qué tienes que no recibiste? Y si lo recibiste, ¿por qué te jactas como si no lo hubieras recibido(M)? Ya están saciados, ya se han hecho ricos(N), ya han llegado a reinar sin necesidad de nosotros. Ojalá hubieran llegado a reinar, para que nosotros reináramos también con ustedes. Porque pienso que Dios nos ha exhibido a nosotros los apóstoles en último lugar, como a sentenciados a muerte(O). Porque hemos llegado a ser un espectáculo para el mundo(P), tanto para los ángeles como para los hombres.

10 Nosotros somos necios por amor de Cristo(Q), pero ustedes, prudentes en Cristo(R). Nosotros somos débiles(S), pero ustedes, fuertes. Ustedes son distinguidos, pero nosotros, sin honra. 11 Hasta el momento[e] presente pasamos hambre y sed, andamos mal vestidos[f], somos maltratados y no tenemos dónde vivir(T). 12 Nos agotamos trabajando con nuestras propias manos(U). Cuando nos ultrajan(V), bendecimos. Cuando somos perseguidos(W), lo soportamos. 13 Cuando hablan mal de nosotros, tratamos de reconciliar[g]. Hemos llegado a ser, hasta ahora, la basura del mundo, el desecho de todo(X).

14 No les escribo esto para avergonzarlos(Y), sino para amonestarlos como a hijos(Z) míos amados. 15 Porque aunque ustedes tengan innumerables maestros en Cristo(AA), sin embargo no tienen muchos padres; pues en Cristo Jesús(AB) yo los engendré(AC) por medio del evangelio(AD). 16 Por tanto, los exhorto: sean imitadores míos(AE).

17 Por esta razón les he enviado a Timoteo(AF), que es mi hijo amado(AG) y fiel en el Señor. Él les recordará mis caminos, los caminos en Cristo, tal como yo enseño en todas partes, en cada iglesia(AH). 18 Algunos de ustedes se han vuelto arrogantes[h](AI), como si yo no hubiera de ir a verlos(AJ). 19 Pero iré a verlos(AK) pronto, si el Señor quiere(AL), y conoceré, no las palabras[i] de los arrogantes[j](AM) sino el poder que tienen. 20 Porque el reino de Dios no consiste en palabras[k], sino en poder(AN). 21 ¿Qué quieren? ¿Iré a ustedes con vara(AO), o con amor y espíritu de mansedumbre?

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Lit. en.
  2. 4:3 Lit. día.
  3. 4:5 Lit. no sigan juzgando nada.
  4. 4:6 Lit. hinchado o inflado.
  5. 4:11 Lit. la hora.
  6. 4:11 Lit. estamos desnudos.
  7. 4:13 O consolar.
  8. 4:18 Lit. hinchados o inflados.
  9. 4:19 Lit. la palabra.
  10. 4:19 Lit. hinchados o inflados.
  11. 4:20 Lit. palabra.

Stewards of the Mysteries of God

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

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. 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?

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! 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. 1 Corinthians 4:3 Lit. day
  2. 1 Corinthians 4:5 motives
  3. 1 Corinthians 4:6 arrogant
  4. 1 Corinthians 4:7 distinguishes you
  5. 1 Corinthians 4:9 Lit. theater
  6. 1 Corinthians 4:13 exhort, encourage
  7. 1 Corinthians 4:18 arrogant