1 Corinthians
4
- So then, men ought to regard us as servants
of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
- Now it is required that those who have been
given a trust must prove faithful.
- I care very little if I am judged by you
or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
- My conscience is clear, but that does not
make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?
- 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 !
- 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.
- 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
!
- To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,
we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
- We work hard with our own hands. When we
are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
- when we are slandered, we answer kindly.
Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the
world.
- I am not writing this to shame you, but
to warn you, as my dear children.
- 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.
- Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
- 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.
- Some of you have become arrogant, as if
I were not coming to you.
- 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.
- For the kingdom of God is not a matter of
talk but of power.
- What do you prefer? Shall I come to you
with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
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