1 Corinthians 4

1 Let a man so account of us, as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

So let a man think of us as Messiah’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.

2 Now it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

3 But to me it is of very small moment to be judged by you, or by any man's judgement; nor indeed do I judge myself:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.

4 (for I am conscious to myself of nothing; though I am not hereby justified; ) but He that judgeth me is the Lord.

For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time; even until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every one have praise from God.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.

6 These things, my brethren, I have by a figure transferred to myself, and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye may learn in us not to be wise above what is written, that ye may not be puffed up for one against another.

Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.

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

For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

8 Ye are now full, ye are now rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

9 For it seems to me that God hath as it were exhibited us the apostles last upon the stage as appointed to death; for we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men.

For I think that God has displayed us, the emissaries, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honoured, but we are despised.

We are fools for Messiah’s sake, but you are wise in Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.

11 Even to this present time we suffer both hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling:

Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.

12 and we labour working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless: when persecuted, we bear it: when defamed, we intreat.

We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.

13 We are made as the filth of the world, and the refuse of all things to this day.

Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you:

I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 for if ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye have not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you by the gospel.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, you don’t have many fathers. For in Messiah Yeshua, I became your father through the Good News.

16 I beseech you therefore, be ye imitators of me.

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

17 For this end have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who will bring to your remembrance my ways in Christ, how I teach every where in every church.

Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Messiah, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

18 Now some are puffed up, as if I would not come to you.

Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord please, and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power:

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

20 for the kingdom of God consisteth not in speech, but in power.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

21 What do ye chuse? that I should come to you with a rod? or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?