Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

The Faithful Manager

4 A person should think of us in this way: as servants^(A) of Christ and managers^(B) of the mysteries of God.^{(C) 2} In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.^{(D) 3} 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. ⁴ For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified^(G) by this. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ 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

⁶ 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, favoring one person over another. ⁷ 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? ⁸ 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! ⁹ For I think 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 dishonored! ¹¹ Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; ¹² we labor, 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 garbage.^(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)

Immoral Church Members

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality^(X) among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated^[b] among the Gentiles^(Y)—a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.^{(Z) 2} And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief^(AA) and remove from your congregation the one who did this? ³ Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit.^(AB) As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing. ⁴ When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^(AC) so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.^(AD)

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven^[c](AE) leavens the whole batch of dough?^{(AF) 7} Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb^(AG) has been sacrificed.^{[d] 8} Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil,^(AH) but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Church Discipline

⁹ I wrote to you in a letter not to associate^(AI) with sexually immoral people.^{(AJ) 10} I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy^(AK) and swindlers^(AL) or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.^{(AM) 11} But actually, I wrote^[e] you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^(AN) and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard^(AO) or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. ¹² For what business is it of mine to judge^(AP) outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? ¹³ God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.^[f](AQ)

Lawsuits among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute against another, how dare you take it to court^(AR) before the unrighteous,^[g] and not before the saints? ² Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? ³ Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life? ⁴ So if you have such matters, do you appoint as your judges those who have no standing^(AS) in the church? ⁵ I say this to your shame!^(AT) Can it be that there is not one wise person among you who is able to arbitrate between fellow believers?^{(AU) 6} Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!^(AV)

⁷ As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you.^(AW) Why not rather be wronged?^(AX) Why not rather be cheated?^{(AY) 8} Instead, you yourselves do wrong and cheat—and you do this to brothers and sisters! ⁹ Don’t you know that the unrighteous^(AZ) will not inherit God’s kingdom?^(BA) Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters,^(BB) adulterers,^(BC) or males who have sex with males,^{[h](BD) 10} no thieves,^(BE) greedy^(BF) people, drunkards, verbally abusive people,^(BG) or swindlers^(BH) will inherit God’s kingdom. ¹¹ And some of you used to be like this.^(BI) But you were washed, you were sanctified,^(BJ) you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Glorifying God in Body and Spirit

¹² “Everything is permissible^(BK) for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³ “Food^(BL) is for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will do away with both of them. However, the body is not for sexual immorality^(BM) but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴ God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.^{(BN) 15} Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body?^(BO) So should I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of a prostitute? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For Scripture says, The two will become one flesh.^{[i](BP) 17} But anyone joined^(BQ) to the Lord is one spirit^(BR) with him.

¹⁸ Flee^(BS) sexual immorality! Every other sin^[j] a person commits is outside the body, but the person who is sexually immoral^(BT) sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple^(BU) of the Holy Spirit^(BV) who is in you,^(BW) whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought^(BX) at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[k]