| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1One should think about us this way--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 what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful. | 2Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. |
| 3So for me, it is a minor matter that 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. |
| 4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. | 4My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. |
| 5So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition 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. |
| 6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn "not to go beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. | 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 concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received 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 are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign 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, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. | 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 distinguished, 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 the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads. | 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 do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure, | 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 people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world's dirt and scum, even now. | 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 these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children. | 14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. |
| 15For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus 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. |
| 16I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. | 16So I urge you to imitate me. |
| 17For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them 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 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 soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. | 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 demonstrated not in idle talk but with power. | 20For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. |
| 21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness? | 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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