1 Corinthians 4

The Nature of True Apostleship

4This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^x of Christ and as those entrusted^y with the mysteries^z God has revealed. ²Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴My conscience^a is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^b It is the Lord who judges me.^{c 5}Therefore judge nothing^d before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.^e He will bring to light^f what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.^g

⁶Now, 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.”^h Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.^{i 7}For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?^j And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

⁸Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^k 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! ⁹For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^l in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^m to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰We are fools for Christ,ⁿ but you are so wise in Christ!^o We are weak, but you are strong!^p You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^{q 12}We work hard with our own hands.^r When we are cursed, we bless;^s when we are persecuted,^t we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^u of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴I am writing this not to shame you^v but to warn you as my dear children.^{w 15}Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^x through the gospel.^{y 16}Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^{z 17}For this reason I have sent to you^a Timothy,^b my son^c 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.^d

¹⁸Some of you have become arrogant,^e as if I were not coming to you.^{f 19}But I will come to you very soon,^g if the Lord is willing,^h and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter ofⁱ talk but of power.^{j 21}What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^k or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?