1 Corinthians 4:3-21

3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human 1court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4For I 2am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this 3acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5Therefore 4do not go on 5passing judgment before 6the time, but wait 7until the Lord comes who will both 8bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s 9praise will come to him from God.

6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed 10what is written, so that no one of you will 11become 12arrogant 13in behalf of one against the other. 7For who regards you as superior? 14What 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?

8You are 15already 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. 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men 16condemned to death; because we 17have become a spectacle to the world, 18both to angels and to men. 10We are 19fools for Christ’s sake, but 20you are prudent in Christ; 21we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 11To this present hour we are both 22hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12and we toil, 23working with our own hands; when we are 24reviled, we bless; when we are 25persecuted, we endure; 13when we are slandered, we try to 26conciliate; we have 27become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

14I do not write these things to 28shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved 29children. 15For if you were to have countless 30tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in 31Christ Jesus I 32became your father through the 33gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you, be 34imitators of me. 17For this reason I 35have sent to you 36Timothy, who is my 37beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, 38just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18Now some have become 3940arrogant, as though I were not 41coming to you. 19But I 42will come to you soon, 43if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the 44words of those who are 45arrogant but their power. 20For the kingdom of God does 46not consist in 47words but in power. 21What do you desire? 48Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?