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Fatherly Admonition

14 I am not writing this to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you might have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers. Indeed, in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel.(A) 16 I appeal to you, then, be imitators of me.(B) 17 For this reason I sent[a] you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 But some of you, thinking that I am not coming to you, have become arrogant. 19 But 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.(C) 20 For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power. 21 What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a stick or with love in a spirit of gentleness?(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.17 Or am sending

14 I do not write these things to (A)shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved (B)children. 15 For if you were to have countless (C)tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in (D)Christ Jesus I (E)became your father through the (F)gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, be (G)imitators of me. 17 For this reason I (H)have sent to you (I)Timothy, who is my (J)beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, (K)just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some have become [a](L)arrogant, as though I were not (M)coming to you. 19 But I (N)will come to you soon, (O)if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the [b]words of those who are (P)arrogant, but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God is (Q)not in [c]words, but in power. 21 What do you desire? (R)That I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 4:18 Lit puffed up
  2. 1 Corinthians 4:19 Lit word
  3. 1 Corinthians 4:20 Lit word