1 Corinthians 4 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 4 ▼
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1 Let men consider us, as the ministers of Christ, who dispense the divine mysteries. 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 in a steward, that he be found 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 as for me, it is a matter of no great concern that I should be called to account by you, or any human authority; not that I am my own judge; 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 though I am not conscious to my self of any unfaithfulness, yet am I not hereby absolved:) but he that is my supreme 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 suspend your judgment till the Lord comes, who will bring to light the secrets of darkness, and expose the counsels of mens hearts: and then shall every man have his due reward 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, I have represented to you in my own person, and that of Apollos, out of respect to you: to show you how to moderate your esteem by the rule prescrib'd, that you may not be transported in favour of one rather than 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 has distinguish'd thee above another? or what have you, that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory 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 You have already a sufficiency, you already abound, you live like princes in our absence: and would to God you did reign, that we too might have the advantage of your administration. 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 as if God had exposed us apostles the last upon the stage, as persons appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle to the world, 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 made fools for our attachment to Christ, while you, who are christians too, still pass for the wise: we are in poverty, but you are in power: you meet with esteem, but we find contempt. 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 to this very day we suffer both hunger, thirst, and penury: we are buffeted from place to place, as vagabonds: 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 are fatigu'd by our manual toil: when reviled, we pray: when persecuted, we don't repine: 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 and when we are defamed, we intreat: in a word, we are look'd upon as the dregs and scum of mankind, even 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 This I don't write to give you any confusion, but by way of remonstrance, to you who are 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 for though you may have ten thousand christian preceptors, you cannot have many fathers; since it was I that first instructed you in the gospel of Christ Jesus: 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 and therefore I intreat you, to copy after me. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
17 'tis for this end I have sent you Timothy, who is my dear disciple, and a faithful christian, who will inform you how I behave my self in every church where I teach the gospel of Christ. 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 make their boast as if I would not 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 if the Lord pleases, I will visit you very soon; and then I shall try, not what these boasters can say, but what they can do: 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 gospel dispensation does not consist in talk, 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 Which would you chuse, that I should come to you arm'd with resentment? or, in a mild and benevolent temper? 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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