1 Corinthians 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
Do Not Judge before the Appointed Time. 1 People should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 It is of no importance to me if I am to be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself.
4 I personally have nothing on my conscience, but that does not mean that I am innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore, do not pronounce judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will disclose the motives of all hearts. Then each one will receive the proper praise from God.
Fools for Christ. 6 Brethren, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what has been written.”[a] None of you should become inflated with pride against anyone else. 7 Who made you so important? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you have received it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?
8 You already have everything! You have already become rich! You have become kings without our help! How I wish that you truly reigned so that we might reign with you![b]
9 It seems to me that God has designated us apostles as the last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we are in disrepute.
11 To this very hour, we endure hunger and thirst. We are poorly clad and beaten and homeless, 12 and we exhaust ourselves working with our hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we suffer persecution, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond gently. We are regarded as the rubbish of the world, the dregs of humanity, to this very day.
14 The Authority of a Father in Christ. I am writing all this not to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
16 I appeal to you then to be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every Church.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, on the assumption that I am not coming to you. 19 However, I will come to you soon, if it is the Lord’s will, and then I will ascertain the actual power of these arrogant people as opposed to their words. 20 For the kingdom of God[c] is not a matter of words but of power. 21 What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a whip or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 Do not go beyond what has been written: this proverbial saying was perhaps current in Corinth; there are those, however, who think that this was originally a marginal note and was later inserted into the text. In any case, the meaning seems to be: Do not exaggerate, do not make things complicated.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8 Although the Corinthians are only beginners in faith, they act as if they have already reached the level of mature Christians. Paul shows how ludicrous this attitude is in the face of the hardships that the very preachers of the faith encounter and endure day after day.
- 1 Corinthians 4:20 Kingdom of God: the reign of God in the lives of his people, consisting of a new birth (Jn 3:3-8) and new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), which is evinced by dedicated membership in the Church and service to others (Mt 25:40ff).
1 Corinthians 4
New American Standard Bible
Servants of Christ
4 This is the way any person is to regard us: as (A)servants of Christ and (B)stewards of (C)the mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required [a]of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3 But to me it is an insignificant matter that I would be examined by you, or by any human [b]court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I (D)am not aware of anything against myself; however I am not (E)vindicated by this, but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore (F)do not go on [c]passing judgment before [d]the time, but wait (G)until the Lord comes, who will both (H)bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then (I)praise will come to each person from God.
6 Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed (J)what is written, so that no one of you will (K)become [e]arrogant (L)in behalf of one against the other. 7 For who considers you as superior? (M)What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are (N)already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you! 9 For I think, God has exhibited us, the apostles, last of all as men (O)condemned to death, because we (P)have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to mankind. 10 We are (Q)fools on account of Christ, but (R)you are prudent in Christ! (S)We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are without honor! 11 Up to this present hour we are both (T)hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless; 12 and we labor, (U)working with our own hands; when we are (V)verbally abused, we bless; when we are (W)persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we [f]reply as friends; we have (X)become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
14 I do not write these things to (Y)shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved (Z)children. 15 For if you were to have countless (AA)tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in (AB)Christ Jesus I (AC)became your father through the (AD)gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, be (AE)imitators of me. 17 For this reason I (AF)have sent to you (AG)Timothy, who is my (AH)beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, (AI)just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some have become [g](AJ)arrogant, as though I were not (AK)coming to you. 19 But I (AL)will come to you soon, (AM)if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the [h]words of those who are (AN)arrogant, but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God is (AO)not in [i]words, but in power. 21 What do you desire? (AP)That I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 4:2 Lit in
- 1 Corinthians 4:3 Lit day
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 Lit judging anything
- 1 Corinthians 4:5 I.e., the appointed time of judgment
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 Lit puffed up
- 1 Corinthians 4:13 Or conciliate
- 1 Corinthians 4:18 Lit puffed up
- 1 Corinthians 4:19 Lit word
- 1 Corinthians 4:20 Lit word
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
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
