| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. | 1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. |
| 2Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. | 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be 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. | 3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. |
| 4My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. | 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. |
| 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. | 5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. |
| 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. | 6Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of 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 what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? |
| 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! | 8You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning 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. | 9Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. |
| 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. | 10Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. |
| 11To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. | 11Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. |
| 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; | 12We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. |
| 13when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. | 13We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. |
| 14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. | 14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. |
| 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 even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. |
| 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. | 16So I urge you to imitate 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. | 17That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go. |
| 18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. | 18Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. |
| 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—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. |
| 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. | 20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. |
| 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit? | 21Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit? |
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