1 Corinthians 4 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 4 ▼
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1 One should think about us this way--as 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 Now what is sought in stewards is that one 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 So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even 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 am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me 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 So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition 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 I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn |not to go beyond what is written,| so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. 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 concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not? 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 Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign 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 exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. 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, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, 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 To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads. 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 do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, 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 people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world's dirt and scum, even now. 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 am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct 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 For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus 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 encourage you, then, be imitators of me. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
17 For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them 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 have become arrogant, as if I were not coming 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 soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also 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 demonstrated not in idle talk but with 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 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness? 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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