1 Corinthians 4 NIV ISV Parallel

◄ 1 Corinthians 4 ►

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1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.

1Think of us as servants of the Messiah and as servant managers entrusted with God's secrets.

2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

2Now it is required of servant managers that each one should prove to be trustworthy.

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

3It is a very small thing to me that I should be examined by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself.

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

4For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me.

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 the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

5Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God.

6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.

6Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another.

7For who makes you different from anyone else? 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 makes you 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 receive it?

8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign--and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!

8You already have all you want! You have already become rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you!

9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.

9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display in last place, like men condemned to death. We have become a spectacle for the world, for angels, and for people to stare at.

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

10We are fools for the Messiah's sake, but you are wise in the Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.

11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

11We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present.

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

12We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure.

13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world--right up to this moment.

13When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe.

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

14I'm not writing this to make you feel ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children.

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

15You may have 10,000 mentors who work for the Messiah, but not many fathers. For in the Messiah Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

16So I urge you to imitate me.

17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

17That's why I sent Timothy to you. He is my dear and dependable son in the Lord and will help you remember how I live for the Messiah Jesus as I teach everywhere in every church.

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

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

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

19But I will come to you soon if it's the Lord's will. Then I'll discover not only what these arrogant people are saying but also what power they have,

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

20for the kingdom of God isn't just talk, but also power.

21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

21Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a stick, or with love and a gentle spirit?

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