1 Corinthians 4 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 4 ▼
swipe to see more →
ISV
Intl. Standard Version
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Think of us as servants of the Messiah and as servant managers entrusted with God's secrets. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
2 Now it is required of servant managers that each one should prove to be trustworthy. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
3 It is a very small thing to me that I should be examined by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4 For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5 Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
6 Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another. I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. Now, brothers and sisters, 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 be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.
7 For who makes you superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it? For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? 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?
8 You already have all you want! You have already become rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you! Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!
9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display in last place, like men condemned to death. We have become a spectacle for the world, for angels, and for people to stare at. For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.
10 We are fools for the Messiah's sake, but you are wise in the Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 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!
11 We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
12 We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure. and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
13 When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe. when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
14 I'm not writing this to make you feel ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children. I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.
15 You may have 10,000 mentors who work for the Messiah, but not many fathers. For in the Messiah Jesus I became your father through the gospel. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
16 So I urge you to imitate me. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
17 That's why I sent Timothy to you. He is my dear and dependable son in the Lord and will help you remember how I live for the Messiah Jesus as I teach everywhere in every church. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. For this reason I have sent 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.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to evaluate you. Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
19 But I will come to you soon if it's the Lord's will. Then I'll discover not only what these arrogant people are saying but also what power they have, But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 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.
20 for the kingdom of God isn't just talk, but also power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
21 Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a stick, or with love and a gentle spirit? What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page