1 Corinthians 4 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Servants of Christ

1 Let a man ^G444 consider ^G3049 us in this ^G3779 manner ^G3779, as servants ^G5257 of Christ ^G5547 and stewards ^G3623 of the mysteries ^G3466 of God ^G2316.

2 In this ^G5602 case ^G5602, moreover ^G3062, it is required ^G523 [fn]of stewards ^G3623 that one ^G5100 be found ^G2147 faithful ^G4103. 3 But to me it is a very ^G1646 small ^G1646 thing ^G1646 that I may be examined ^G350 by you, or ^G2228 by any human ^G442 [fn]court ^G2250. In fact ^G235, I do not even ^G3761 examine ^G350 myself ^G1683. 4 For I am ^G6083 conscious ^G6083 of nothing ^G3762 against myself ^G1683, yet ^G235 I am not by this ^G3778 acquitted ^G1344. But the one who examines ^G350 me is the Lord ^G2962. 5 Therefore ^G5620 do not go on [fn]passing ^G2919 judgment ^G2919 before ^G4253 [fn]the time ^G2540, but wait until ^G2193 the Lord ^G2962 comes ^G2064 who ^G3739 will both ^G2532 bring ^G5461 to ^G5461 light ^G5461 the things ^G2927 hidden ^G2927 in the darkness ^G4655 and make ^G5319 manifest ^G5319 the motives ^G1012 of hearts ^G2588. And then ^G5119 each ^G1538 one’s ^G1538 praise ^G1868 will come ^G1096 to him from God ^G2316.

6 Now ^G1161 these ^G3778 things ^G3778, brothers ^G80, I have applied ^G3345 to myself ^G1683 and Apollos ^G625 for your sakes ^G1223, so ^G2443 that in us you may learn ^G3129 not to go ^G5228 beyond ^G5228 what ^G3739 is written ^G1125, so ^G2443 that no ^G3361 one ^G1520 of you will become puffed ^G5448 up ^G5448 on ^G5228 behalf ^G5228 of one ^G1520 against ^G2596 the other ^G2087. 7 For who ^G5101 regards ^G1252 you as ^G1251 superior ^G1252? What ^G5101 do you have ^G2192 that you did not receive ^G2983? And if ^G1487 you did receive ^G2983 it, why ^G5101 do you boast ^G2744 as if ^G5613 you had not received ^G2983 it?

8 You are already ^G2235 filled ^G2880, you have already ^G2235 become ^G4147 rich ^G4147, you have ruled ^G936 without ^G5565 us—and how I wish ^G3785 that you had ruled ^G936 indeed ^G1065 so ^G2443 that we also ^G2532 might rule ^G4821 with you. 9 For, I think ^G1380 that God ^G2316 has exhibited ^G584 us apostles ^G652 last ^G2078 of ^G2078 all ^G2078, as men ^G1935 condemned ^G1935 to ^G1935 death ^G1935, because ^G3754 we have become ^G1096 a spectacle ^G2302 to the world ^G2889, and ^G2532 to angels ^G32, and to men ^G444. 10 We are fools ^G3474 for ^G1223 the ^G1223 sake ^G1223 of Christ ^G5547, but you are prudent ^G5429 in Christ ^G5547! We are weak ^G772, but you are strong ^G2478! You are glorious ^G1741, but we are without ^G820 honor ^G820! 11 To this ^G3588 present ^G737 hour ^G5610 we hunger ^G3983 and thirst ^G1372, and are poorly ^G1130 clothed ^G1130, and roughly ^G2852 treated ^G2852, and homeless ^G790; 12 and we labor ^G2872, working ^G2038 with our own ^G2398 hands ^G5495; when we are reviled ^G3058, we bless ^G2127; when we are persecuted ^G1377, we endure ^G430; 13 when we are slandered ^G6022, we try to plead ^G3870; we have become ^G1096 as the scum ^G4027 of the world ^G2889, the grime ^G4067 of all ^G3956 things ^G3956, even until ^G2193 now ^G737.

14 I do not write ^G1125 these ^G3778 things ^G3778 to shame ^G1788 you, but to admonish ^G3560 you as my beloved ^G27 children ^G5043. 15 For if ^G1437 you were to have ^G2192 countless ^G3463 tutors ^G3807 in Christ ^G5547, yet ^G235 you would not have many ^G4183 fathers ^G3962, for in Christ ^G5547 Jesus ^G2424 I became ^G1080 your father ^G1080 through ^G1223 the gospel ^G2098. 16 Therefore ^G3767 I exhort ^G3870 you, be imitators ^G3402 of me. 17 For this ^G3778 reason ^G1223 I have sent ^G3992 to you Timothy ^G5095, who ^G3739 is my beloved ^G27 and faithful ^G4103 child ^G5043 in the Lord ^G2962, and who will remind ^G363 you of my ways ^G3598 which are in Christ ^G5547, just ^G2531 as I teach ^G1321 everywhere ^G3837 in every ^G3956 church ^G1577. 18 Now ^G1161 some ^G5100 have become puffed ^G5448 up ^G5448, as ^G5613 though ^G5613 I were not coming ^G2064 to you. 19 But I will come ^G2064 to you soon ^G5030, if ^G1437 the Lord ^G2962 wills ^G2309, and I shall know ^G1097, not the [fn]words ^G3056 of those ^G3588 who are puffed ^G5448 up ^G5448 but their power ^G1411. 20 For the kingdom ^G932 of God ^G2316 does not consist in [fn]words ^G3056 but in power ^G1411. 21 What ^G5101 do you desire ^G2309? Shall I come ^G2064 to you with a rod ^G4464, or ^G2228 with love ^G26 and a spirit ^G4151 of gentleness ^G4240?