1 Corinthians 4 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 4 ▼
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Weymouth New Testament
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English Standard Version
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1 As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths. 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 This being so, it follows that fidelity is what is required in stewards. 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 I however am very little concerned at undergoing your scrutiny, or that of other men; in fact I do not even scrutinize 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 Though I am not conscious of having been in any way unfaithful, yet I do not for that reason stand acquitted; but He whose scrutiny I must undergo 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 form no premature judgements, but wait until the Lord returns. He will both bring to light the secrets of darkness and will openly disclose the motives that have been in people's hearts; and then the praise which each man deserves will come to him 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 In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against 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 Why, who gives you your superiority, my brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? And if you really did receive it, why boast as if this were not so? 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 Every one of you already has all that heart can desire; already you have grown rich; without waiting for us, you have ascended your thrones! Yes indeed, would to God that you had ascended your thrones, that we also might 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 God, it seems to me, has exhibited us Apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; for we have come to be a spectacle to all creation--alike 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, for Christ's sake, are labeled as "foolish"; you, as Christians, are men of shrewd intelligence. We are mere weaklings: you are strong. You are in high repute: we are outcasts. 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 moment we endure both hunger and thirst, with scanty clothing and many a blow. 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 Homes we have none. Wearily we toil, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we bear it patiently; 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 try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour. 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 all this to shame you, but I am offering you advice as my dearly-loved 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 even if you were to have ten thousand spiritual instructors--for all that you could not have several fathers. It is I who in Christ Jesus became your father through the Good News. 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 entreat you therefore to become like 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. Spiritually he is my dearly-loved and faithful child. He will remind you of my habits as a Christian teacher--the manner in which 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 But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth. 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 is willing, I shall come to you without delay; and then I shall know not the fine speeches of these conceited people, 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 Apostolic authority is not a thing of words, but of 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 shall it be? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in a loving and tender 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?
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