1 Corinthians 4 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 4 ▼
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1 THIS is the way you should consider us: as the servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 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 Henceforth it is required of stewards, that every one of them must be faithful. 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 But as for me, it is of little importance that I am judged by you or by any one else: because I do not judge 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 I know nothing of which I am guilty; yet I may not be right in this, for my judge is the LORD. 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 do not judge before the time, until the LORD comes, and brings to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveals the thoughts of the hearts; then shall every man have 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 These things, my brethren, concerning myself and Apollos I have pictured for your sakes; that in our example you may learn not to think beyond that which is written, and let no one exalt himself over his fellow man, on account of any man. 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 has inquired into you? And what do you have which was not given to you? and if you did receive it, then why do you boast, as if you had not received 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 For a long time you have been full and enriched, and you have waxed strong without our counsel. And I would to God you were as kings, so that we also might share 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 I think God has placed us, the apostles, last as if we were condemned to death: for we have become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. 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 Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are praised, but we are despised. 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 Even to this very hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked and mistreated and have no permanent home; 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 And labor, working with our own hands: being cursed we bless, being persecuted, we endure it; 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 Being reviled, we intreat;: we are looked upon as the refuse of the world, and we are the revilement of every man to this day. 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 do not write these things to make you feel ashamed, but to advise you as beloved 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 For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you will have not many fathers: for in Jesus Christ I have begotten you 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 I beseech you therefore, to follow me. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
17 This is why I have sent Ti-mo’the-us to you, who is my beloved son and faithful in the LORD, who shall remind you of my manner of life in Christ, just as I teach in all the churches. 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 There are some among you who are puffed up, thinking I am unwilling to come to 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 very soon, if the LORD wills, and then I shall find out not the words of these men who exalt themselves, but their power. 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 is not in the word, but in 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 Now what do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and in the spirit of meekness? 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?
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