1 Corinthians 4, side by side

¹So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

¹Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

²Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

²Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

³I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

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.

⁴My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

⁴For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

⁶Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.

⁶And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

⁷For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

⁷For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

⁸Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

⁸Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

⁹For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

⁹For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

¹¹To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

¹¹Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

¹²We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;

¹²And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

¹³when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

¹³Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

¹⁴I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.

¹⁴I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

¹⁵Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

¹⁵For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

¹⁶Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

¹⁶Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

¹⁷That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁷For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

¹⁸Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

²⁰For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

²¹Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

²¹What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?