1 Corinthians 4

Servants of Christ

Let a man consider us in this manner, as ^aservants of Christ and ^bstewards of ^cthe mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required ¹of stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human ¹court. In fact, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I ^aam conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this ^bacquitted. But the one who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore ^ado not go on ¹passing judgment before ²the time, but wait ^buntil the Lord comes who will both ^cbring to light the things hidden in the darkness and make manifest the motives of hearts. And then each one’s ^dpraise will come to him from God.
6 Now these things, brothers, I have applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to go beyond ^awhat is written, so that no one of you will ^bbecome puffed up ^con behalf of one against the other. 7 For who regards you as superior? ^aWhat do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are ^aalready filled, you have already become rich, you have ruled without us—and how I wish that you had ruled indeed so that we also might rule with you. 9 For, I think that God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men ^acondemned to death, because we ^bhave become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. 10 We are ^afools for the sake of Christ, but ^byou are prudent in Christ! ^cWe are weak, but you are strong! You are glorious, but we are without honor! 11 To this present hour we ^ahunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed, and roughly treated, and homeless; 12 and we labor, ^aworking with our own hands; when we are ^breviled, we bless; when we are ^cpersecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to plead; we have ^abecome as the scum of the world, the grime of all things, even until now.
14 I do not write these things to ^ashame you, but to admonish you as my beloved ^bchildren. 15 For if you were to have countless ^atutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in ^bChrist Jesus I ^cbecame your father through the ^dgospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, be ^aimitators of me. 17 For this reason I ^ahave sent to you ^bTimothy, who is my ^cbeloved and faithful child in the Lord, and who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, ^djust as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some have become ^apuffed up, as though I were not ^bcoming to you. 19 But I ^awill come to you soon, ^bif the Lord wills, and I shall know, not the ¹words of those who are ^cpuffed up but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does ^anot consist in ¹words but in power. 21 What do you desire? ^aShall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

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