1 Corinthians 4

1 In this way must a human being make an accounting* of us: as officers of Christ and house-managers of God's mysteries.

2 Here the remaining thing is: he investigates among the house-managers, so that someone be found faithful.

3 Now, for me it is toward the least thing, that under you I be re-judged or under any human day. But nor do I re-judge myself.

4 For by myself I comprehend nothing. But not by this am I justified; the one re-judging me is yet the Lord!

5 So then, do not judge before the proper timing, until the Lord would come, who will both illuminate the hidden things of the darkness and make manifest the determinations of the hearts, and then the approval will be to each from the God.

6 Now* these things, siblings, I have changed the form of, to myself and Apollos, due to you, so that by us, you should learn the not*-above-the-written-things rule, so that you not be inflated, one by the one against the other.

7 What, indeed, distinguishes you? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if you also have received, why do you boast, as though not having received?

8 Already you are satisfied! Already you were made rich! Without us you reigned! And I would that you did in fact reign, so that also we to* you would co-reign!

9 For I deem that the God showed us the apostles off last as upon death*, that we have become an exhibition to the world and to angels and to human beings.

10 We are fools due to Christ, yet you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, yet you are strong! You are esteemed, yet we are without honour.

11 Until the present hour we also hunger and thirst and are ill-clothed and beaten and without fixed abode,

12 and toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless*, being pursued, we hold up*,

13 being ill-spoken of, we comfort*. We have become as the world's offscourings*, all people's refuse* until now.

14 Not turning you do I write these things but as to children of mine, beloved, putting in mind.

15 For if you would even have myriad child-minders in Christ, yet you would have not many parents. Indeed, by* Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, I myself begot you.

16 I appeal, therefore, to you: become imitators of me.

17 Due to this, I sent Timothy to you, who is my child, beloved, and faithful* in the Lord, who will remind you of the ways of mine, the ways in Christ Jesus*, just as I everywhere in every called assembly teach.

18 Yet, as of my not coming to you, some have been puffed up.

19 Yet I will come soon to you, if the Lord would will it, and then I will know not the word of the puffed up ones but the power.

20 Not, indeed, in word does the Kingdom of God exist, but in power.

21 What do you want? By rod I come to you or by love, by Spirit even of mildness?

Notes

v 1 Or audit

v 6 Or Yet; many mss add here to be minded / to think

v 8 Or with

v 9 Or condemned to death, funereal. The polysemy comprehends even the idea that the apostles are a funeral procession for the old aeon under Satan.

v 12 Or speak well of, account good for/about; the verbs paired here, diókomai and anécho, are opposites in several ways, e.g. be persecuted - exalt, be chased - rise up, be pursued - emerge, etc. Being pursued is opposite to we hold up in at least two ways: the opposition of persecution with endurance and the opposition of persecution with bearing up / supporting those whom one is being pursued by.

v 13 Or encourage, entreat, make appeal to; or expiations; or what is wiped away from all things

v 15 Or in

v 17 Or trustworthy, believing; other mss have instead Lord Jesus or Christ