1 Corinthians 4

The Faithful Manager

4A person should consider us in this way: as servants ^yof Christ and managers ^zof God’s mysteries. ^a2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. ^b3It is of little ^cimportance to me that I should be evaluated ^dby you or by any human court. ^eIn fact, I don’t even evaluate myself. ⁴For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified ^fby this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. ⁵Therefore don’t judge ^ganything prematurely, before the Lord comes, ^hwho will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. ⁱ

The Apostles’ Example of Humility

⁶Now, brothers, ^jI have applied these things to myself and Apollos ^kfor your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” ^lThe purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. ⁷For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? ⁸You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! ⁹For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! ^mWe are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! ¹¹Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; ¹²we labor, working ⁿwith our own hands. ^oWhen we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. ^p

Paul’s Fatherly Care

¹⁴I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. ^q15For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can’t have many fathers. For I became your father ^rin Christ Jesus through the gospel. ¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me. ¹⁷This is why I have sent ^sTimothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful ^tson in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. ¹⁸Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹But I will come to you soon, ^uif the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, ^vor in love and a spirit of gentleness? ^w