4:1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
4:6 Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.
4:7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
4:8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings–and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!
4:9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.
4:10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!
4:11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
4:12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
4:13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
4:14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.
4:15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
4:16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
4:17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
4:18 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
4:19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.
4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
4:21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
4:1 A man should account us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
4:2 Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful.
4:3 But to me it is a very small thing that I should be examined by you or by man s day; rather I do not even examine myself.
4:4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself; but I am not justified in this, but He who examines me is the Lord.
4:5 So then do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then there will be praise to each from God.
4:6 Now these things, brothers, I have transferred in figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us the matter of not going beyond what has been written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one, against the other.
4:7 For who distinguishes you? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though not having received it?
4:8 Already you are filled; already you have become rich; you have reigned without us. And I would have it indeed that you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
4:9 For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last of all as doomed to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
4:10 We are fools because of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are glorious, but we are dishonored.
4:11 Until the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked and buffeted and wander without a home;
4:12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Reviled we bless; persecuted we endure;
4:13 Defamed we exhort. We have become as the offscouring of the world, the scum of all things, until now.
4:14 It is not to shame you that I write these things but to admonish you as my beloved children.
4:15 For though you have ten thousand guides in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
4:16 I exhort you therefore, Become imitators of me.
4:17 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 church.
4:18 Now some have become puffed up as though I were not coming to you.
4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will ascertain not the speech of those who are puffed up but the power.
4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in speech but in power.
4:21 What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod or in love and a spirit of meekness?