The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

Let a man so thinke of vs, as of the ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God:

And as for the rest, it is required of the disposers, that euery man be found faithfull.

As touching me, I passe very litle to be iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: no, I iudge not mine owne selfe.

For I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified: but he that iudgeth me, is the Lord.

Therefore iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse, and make the counsels of the hearts manifest: and then shall euery man haue praise of God.

Nowe these things, brethren, I haue figuratiuely applied vnto mine owne selfe and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye might learne by vs, that no man presume aboue that which is written, that one swell not against another for any mans cause.

For who separateth thee? and what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? if thou hast receiued it, why reioycest thou, as though thou haddest not receiued it?

Nowe ye are full: nowe ye are made rich: ye reigne as kings without vs, and would to God ye did reigne, that we also might reigne with you.

For I thinke that God hath set forth vs the last Apostles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gasing stocke vnto the worlde, and to the Angels, and to men.

We are fooles for Christes sake, and ye are wise in Christ: we are weake, and ye are strong: ye are honourable, and we are despised.

Vnto this houre we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and haue no certaine dwelling place,

And labour, working with our owne handes: we are reuiled, and yet we blesse: we are persecuted, and suffer it.

We are euill spoken of, and we pray: we are made as the filth of the world, the offskowring of all things, vnto this time.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloued children I admonish you.

For though ye haue tenne thousand instructours in Christ, yet haue ye not many fathers: for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel.

Wherefore, I pray you, be ye folowers of me.

For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus, which is my beloued sonne, and faithfull in the Lord, which shall put you in remembrance of my wayes in Christ as I teache euery where in euery Church.

Some are puffed vp as though I woulde not come vnto you.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will knowe, not the wordes of them which are puffed vp, but the power.

For the kingdome of God is not in worde, but in power.

What will ye? shall I come vnto you with a rod, or in loue, and in ye spirite of meekenes?

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

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

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

I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.

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 Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.

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

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.

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

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