1 Corinthians 4
4 1Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of
the mysteries of God.
2Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a
man be found faithful.
3But with me it is a very small thing that I
should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own
self.
4For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified:
but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5Wherefore judge nothing before the
time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each
man have his praise from God.
6Now these things, brethren, I have in a
figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might
learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of
you be puffed up for the one against the other.
7For who maketh thee to
differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst
receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?
8Already are ye filled, already ye are become rich, ye have come to reign
without us: yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with
you.
9For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as
men doomed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, both to
angels and men.
10We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in
Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor.
11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked,
and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12and we toil,
working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we
endure;
13being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the
world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.
14I write not these
things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15For
though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many
fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.
16I beseech
you therefore, be ye imitators of me.
17For this cause have I sent unto
you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put
you in remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere
in every church.
18Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to
you.
19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know,
not the word of them that are puffed up, but the power.
20For the kingdom
of God is not in word, but in power.
21What will ye? shall I come unto
you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
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