The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,

and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,

and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man’s Day, but I do not even judge myself,

for I have been conscious of nothing for myself, but I have not been declared right in this—and He who is discerning me is the LORD:

so, then, judge nothing before the time, until the LORD may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will reveal the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise will come to each from God.

And these things, brothers, I transferred to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us you may learn not to think above that which has been written, that you may not be puffed up one for one against the other,

for who makes you to differ? And what do you have, that you did not receive? And if you also received, why do you glory as not having received?

Already you are having been filled, already you were rich, apart from us you reigned, and I also wish you reigned, that we also may reign together with you,

for I think that God set forth us the apostles last—as appointed to death, because we became a spectacle to the world, and messengers, and men;

we [are] fools because of Christ, and you wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and you strong; you glorious, and we dishonored;

to the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are battered, and wander,

and labor, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

being spoken evil of, we plead; we became as filth of the world—of all things an outcast—until now.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but I admonish as my beloved children,

for if a myriad of child-conductors you may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I begot you;

I call on you, therefore, become followers of me;

because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the LORD, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.

And some were puffed up as if I were not coming to you;

but I will come quickly to you, if the LORD may will, and I will not know the word of those puffed up, but the power;

for not in word is the Kingdom of God, but in power.

What do you wish? Will I come to you with a rod, or in love, also with a spirit of meekness?

So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.

Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?