1 Corinthians 4

1So thenG3779, menG444 ought to regardG3049 usG1473 asG5613 servantsG5257 of ChristG5547 andG2532 stewardsG3623 of the mysteriesG3466 of GodG2316. 2NowG5602G3063 it is requiredG2212 of stewardsG3623 thatG2443 they be foundG2147 faithfulG4103.

3IG1473 care very littleG1510G1646, howeverG1161, ifG2443 I am judgedG350 byG5259 youG4771 orG2228 byG5259 any humanG442 courtG2250. In factG235, I do not even judgeG3761G350 myselfG1683. 4My conscience is clearG4894G3762G1683, butG235 thatG3778 does not vindicate meG3756G1344. It isG1510 the LordG2962 whoG3588 judgesG350 meG1473.

5ThereforeG5620 judgeG2919 nothingG3361G5100 beforeG4253 the appointed timeG2540; wait untilG2193 theG3588 LordG2962 comesG2064. He will bring to lightG5461 what isG3588 hiddenG2927 in darknessG4655 andG2532 will exposeG5319 theG3588 motivesG1012 ofG3588 men’s heartsG2588. At that timeG5119 eachG1538 will receiveG1096 his praiseG1868 fromG575 GodG2316.

6

BrothersG80, I have appliedG3345 these thingsG3778 toG1519 myselfG1683 andG2532 ApollosG625 for your benefitG1223G4771, so thatG2443 you may learnG3129 fromG1722 usG1473 notG3361 to go beyondG5228 whatG3739 is writtenG1125. ThenG2443 you will not take prideG3361G1520G5448 inG5228 oneG1520 man overG2596 anotherG3588G2087. 7ForG1063 whoG5101 makes you so superiorG1252G4771? WhatG5101 do you haveG2192 thatG3739 you did not receiveG3756G2983? AndG1161 ifG1487 you did receiveG2532G2983 it, whyG5101 do you boastG2744 as thoughG5613 you did not?

8AlreadyG2235 you have all you wantG1510G2880. AlreadyG2235 you have become richG4147. WithoutG5565 usG1473, you have become kingsG936. How I wishG3785 you really were kingsG1065G936, so thatG2443 weG1473 might be kings withG4821 youG4771! 9ForG1063 it seems to meG1380 thatG3588 GodG2316 has displayedG584 usG1473 apostlesG652 at the endG2078 of the procession, likeG5613 prisoners appointed for deathG1935. We have becomeG1096 a spectacleG2302 to theG3588 whole worldG2889, to angelsG32 as well asG2532 to menG444.

10WeG1473 are foolsG3474 forG1223 ChristG5547, butG1161 youG4771 are wiseG5429 inG1722 ChristG5547. WeG1473 are weakG772, butG1161 youG4771 are strongG2478. YouG4771 are honoredG1741, butG1161 weG1473 are dishonoredG820. 11ToG891 this veryG737 hourG5610 we are hungryG3983 andG2532 thirstyG1372, we are poorly clothedG1130, we are brutally treatedG2852, we are homelessG790. 12We work hardG2872G2038 withG3588 our ownG2398 handsG5495. When we are vilifiedG3058, we blessG2127; when we are persecutedG1377, we endureG430 it; 13when we are slanderedG1426, we answer gentlyG3870. Up toG2193 this momentG737 we have becomeG1096 the scumG4027 of theG3588 earthG2889, the refuseG4067 ofG3956 the world.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

14I am not writingG3756G1125 thisG3778 to shameG1788 youG4771, butG235 to warn youG3560 asG5613 myG1473 belovedG27 childrenG5043. 15EvenG1063 ifG1437 you haveG2192 ten thousandG3463 guardiansG3807 inG1722 ChristG5547, you do notG3756 have manyG4183 fathersG3962; forG1063 inG1722 ChristG5547 JesusG2424 IG1473 became your fatherG1080G4771 throughG1223 theG3588 gospelG2098. 16ThereforeG3767 I urgeG3870 youG4771 to imitateG1096G3402 meG1473. 17That is whyG1223G3778G846 I have sentG3992 youG4771 TimothyG5095, myG1473 belovedG27 andG2532 faithfulG4103 childG5043 inG1722 the LordG2962. He will remindG363 youG4771 of myG1473 way of lifeG3598 inG1722 ChristG5547 JesusG2424,1 which is exactly whatG2531 I teachG1321 everywhereG3837 inG1722 everyG3956 churchG1577.

18SomeG5100 of you have become arrogantG5448, as ifG5613 IG1473 were not comingG3361G2064 toG4314 youG4771. 19ButG1161 I will comeG2064 toG4314 youG4771 shortlyG5030, ifG1437 theG3588 LordG2962 is willingG2309, andG2532 then I will find outG1097 notG3756 only whatG3588 theseG3588 arrogantG5448 people are sayingG3056, butG235 whatG3588 powerG1411 they have. 20ForG1063 theG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316 is notG3756 a matter ofG1722 talkG3056 butG235 ofG1722 powerG1411. 21WhichG5101 do you preferG2309? Shall I comeG2064 toG4314 youG4771 withG1722 a rodG4464, orG2228 inG1722 loveG26 andG5037 with a gentleG4240 spiritG4151?