1 Corinthians 4

Servants of Christ

1Let a manG444 regardG3049 us in thisG3779 mannerG3779, as 1servantsG5257 of ChristG5547 and 2stewardsG3623 of 3the mysteriesG3466 of GodG2316. 2In thisG5602 caseG5602, moreoverG3062, it is requiredG523 4of stewardsG3623 that oneG5100 be foundG2147 trustworthyG4103. 3But to me it is a veryG1646 smallG1646 thingG1646 that I may be examinedG350 by you, orG2228 by any humanG442 5courtG2250; in factG235, I do not evenG3761 examineG350 myselfG1683. 4For I 6amG4924 consciousG4924 of nothingG3762 against myselfG1683, yetG235 I am not by thisG3778 7acquittedG1344; but the one who examinesG350 me is the LordG2962. 5ThereforeG5620 8do not go on 9passingG2919 judgmentG2919 beforeG4253 10the timeG2540, but wait 11untilG2193 the LordG2962 comesG2064 whoG3739 will bothG2532 12bringG5461 to lightG5461 the thingsG2927 hiddenG2927 in the darknessG4655 and discloseG5319 the motivesG1012 of men’s heartsG2588; and thenG5119 eachG1538 man’sG1538 13praiseG1868 will comeG1096 to him from GodG2316.

6NowG1161 theseG3778 thingsG3778, brethrenG80, I have figurativelyG3345 appliedG3345 to myselfG1683 and ApollosG625 for your sakesG1223, soG2443 that in us you may learnG3129 not to exceedG5228 14whatG3739 is writtenG1125, soG2443 that noG3361 oneG1520 of you will 15become 16arrogantG5448 17in behalfG5228 of oneG1520 againstG2596 the otherG2087. 7For whoG5101 regardsG1252 you as superiorG1252? 18WhatG5101 do you haveG2192 that you did not receiveG2983? And ifG1487 you did receiveG2983 it, whyG5101 do you boastG2744 as ifG5613 you had not receivedG2983 it?

8You are 19alreadyG2235 filledG2880, you have alreadyG2235 becomeG4147 richG4147, you have becomeG936 kingsG936 withoutG5565 us; and indeedG1065, I wishG3785 that you had becomeG936 kingsG936 soG2443 that we alsoG2532 might reignG4821 with you. 9For, I thinkG1380, GodG2316 has exhibitedG584 us apostlesG652 lastG2078 of allG2078, as menG1935 20condemnedG1935 to deathG1935; becauseG3754 we 21have becomeG1096 a spectacleG2302 to the worldG2889, 22bothG2532 to angelsG32 and to menG444. 10We are 23foolsG3474 for Christ’sG5547 sakeG1223, but 24you are prudentG5429 in ChristG5547; 25we are weakG772, but you are strongG2478; you are distinguishedG1741, but we are withoutG820 honorG820. 11To thisG3588 presentG737 hourG5610 we are bothG2532 26hungryG3983 and thirstyG1372, and are poorlyG1130 clothedG1130, and are roughlyG2852 treatedG2852, and are homelessG790; 12and we toilG2872, 27workingG2038 with our ownG2398 handsG5495; when we are 28reviledG3058, we blessG2127; when we are 29persecutedG1377, we endureG430; 13when we are slanderedG1426, we try to 30conciliateG3870; we have 31becomeG1096 as the scumG4027 of the worldG2889, the dregsG4067 of allG3956 thingsG3956, even untilG2193 nowG737.

14I do not writeG1125 theseG3778 thingsG3778 to 32shameG1788 you, but to admonishG3560 you as my belovedG27 33childrenG5043. 15For ifG1437 you were to haveG2192 countlessG3463 34tutorsG3807 in ChristG5547, yetG235 you would not have manyG4183 fathersG3962, for in 35ChristG5547 JesusG2424 I 36becameG1080 your fatherG1080 throughG1223 the 37gospelG2098. 16ThereforeG3767 I exhortG3870 you, be 38imitatorsG3402 of me. 17For thisG3778 reasonG1223 I 39have sentG3992 to you 40TimothyG5095, whoG3739 is my 41belovedG27 and faithfulG4103 childG5043 in the LordG2962, and he will remindG363 you of my waysG3598 which are in ChristG5547, 42justG2531 as I teachG1321 everywhereG3837 in everyG3956 churchG1577. 18NowG1161 someG5100 have become 4344arrogantG5448, as thoughG5613 I were not 45comingG2064 to you. 19But I 46will comeG2064 to you soonG5030, 47ifG1437 the LordG2962 willsG2309, and I shall findG1097 out, not the 48wordsG3056 of thoseG3588 who are 49arrogantG5448 but their powerG1411. 20For the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 does 50not consist in 51wordsG3056 but in powerG1411. 21WhatG5101 do you desireG2309? 52Shall I comeG2064 to you with a rodG4464, orG2228 with loveG26 and a spiritG4151 of gentlenessG4240?