1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man, so, be reckoning of us, as officers of Christ, and stewards of sacred secrets of God.

Thus let a man regard us as of helpers of Christ, and managers of mysteries of God.

2 Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards, that, faithful, one be found.

And beyond that, it is sought in managers that any man should be found faithful.

3 With me, however, it counteth for the very smallest thing, that, by you, I should be examined, or by a human day. Nay! I am not even examining myself,

But it is a very small thing to me that I might be appraised by you or by a day of mankind. Yet neither do I appraise myself,

4 For, of nothing, to myself, am I conscious: nevertheless, not hereby, am I declared righteous, but, he that doth examine me, is the Lord.

for I know nothing on myself. Yet I have not been made righteous in this, but he who appraises me is the Lord.

5 So then, not before the fitting time, be judging anything, —until the Lord shall come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and, then, the praise shall come to each one, from God.

Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make public the deliberations of the hearts. And then praise will come to each man from God.

6 But, these things, brethren, have I transferred unto myself and Apollos, for your sakes, that, in us, ye might learn [the lesson] —Not beyond the things that are written…! that ye do not puff yourselves up, individually, for this one against that.

Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other.

7 For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou which thou didst not receive? But, if thou didst even receive it, why dost thou boast, as though thou hadst not received it?

For who makes thee different? And what have thou that thou did not receive? And also if thou received it, why do thou boast as not having received it?

8 Already, ye have become full, already, ye are become rich, —apart from us, ye are become kings! And I would indeed ye had become kings, that, we also, with you, might have together become kings!

Already ye are filled. Already ye have become rich. Ye reigned without us, and O that ye did indeed reign, so that we also might reign with you.

9 For I think that, God, hath set forth, us the apostles, to be last of all, as men devoted to death, —in that, a spectacle, have we been made, unto the world, —both unto messengers and unto men.

For I think God has exhibited us the apostles least, as men sentenced to die, because we became a spectacle to the world, both to agents and to men.

10 We, are foolish for Christ’s sake, but, ye, prudent in Christ; we are weak, but, ye, mighty; ye, all-glorious, but, we, dishonoured.

We are foolish for the sake of Christ, but ye are wise in Christ. We are weak, but ye are strong. Ye are esteemed, but we are disreputable.

11 Until the present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and are wanderers,

As far as the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are ill clothed, and are treated roughly, and are homeless.

12 And toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we hold on,

And we toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

13 Being defamed, we beseech: as the sweepings of the world have we become, the offscouring of all—until even now.

being slandered, we entreat. We became as trash of the world, an offscouring of all things, until now.

14 Not, to shame you, write I these things; but, as my beloved children, I admonish you.

I do not write these things shaming you, but I warn you as my beloved children.

15 For, though myriads of tutors ye should have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for, in Christ Jesus, through means of the joyful message, I, begat you.

For though ye have countless instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the good news.

16 I beseech you, therefore, —become imitators of me.

I beseech you therefore, become followers of me.

17 For this cause, sent I unto you, Timothy, —who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put, you, in mind of my ways which are in Christ [Jesus], even as, everywhere, in every assembly, I teach.

Because of this I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every congregation.

18 But, as though I were not coming unto you, some are puffed up!

But as of me not coming to you, some men are puffed up.

19 Howbeit, I will come quickly unto you, —if, the Lord, please, —and will get to know—not the speech of them who are puffed up, but, the power;

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord should will, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

20 For, not in speech, is the kingdom of God, but, in power.

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21 What will ye? that, with a rod, I should come unto you? or, with love, and a spirit of meekness?

What do ye want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness?