| Holman Christian Standard Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. | 1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. |
| 2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. | 2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. |
| 3It is of little importance to me that I should be evaluated by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself. | 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. |
| 4For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. | 4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. |
| 5Therefore don't judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God. | 5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. |
| 6Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: "Nothing beyond what is written." The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. | 6I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. |
| 7For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn't receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn't received it? | 7For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? |
| 8You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us--and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! | 8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! |
| 9For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. | 9For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, 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 distinguished, but we are dishonored! | 10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. |
| 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; | 11To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, |
| 12we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; | 12and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; |
| 13when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world's garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. | 13when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. |
| 14I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. | 14I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. |
| 15For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can't have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. | 15For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. |
| 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. | 16I urge you, then, be imitators of me. |
| 17This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. | 17That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. |
| 18Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. | 18Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. |
| 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. | 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. |
| 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. | 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. |
| 21What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? | 21What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? |
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