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1 Corinthians 4
New Catholic Bible
1 Corinthians 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
Do Not Judge before the Appointed Time. 1 People should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 It is of no importance to me if I am to be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself.
4 I personally have nothing on my conscience, but that does not mean that I am innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore, do not pronounce judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will disclose the motives of all hearts. Then each one will receive the proper praise from God.
Fools for Christ. 6 Brethren, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what has been written.”[a] None of you should become inflated with pride against anyone else. 7 Who made you so important? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you have received it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?
8 You already have everything! You have already become rich! You have become kings without our help! How I wish that you truly reigned so that we might reign with you![b]
9 It seems to me that God has designated us apostles as the last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we are in disrepute.
11 To this very hour, we endure hunger and thirst. We are poorly clad and beaten and homeless, 12 and we exhaust ourselves working with our hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we suffer persecution, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond gently. We are regarded as the rubbish of the world, the dregs of humanity, to this very day.
14 The Authority of a Father in Christ. I am writing all this not to make you ashamed but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
16 I appeal to you then to be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every Church.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, on the assumption that I am not coming to you. 19 However, I will come to you soon, if it is the Lord’s will, and then I will ascertain the actual power of these arrogant people as opposed to their words. 20 For the kingdom of God[c] is not a matter of words but of power. 21 What would you prefer? Am I to come to you with a whip or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 4:6 Do not go beyond what has been written: this proverbial saying was perhaps current in Corinth; there are those, however, who think that this was originally a marginal note and was later inserted into the text. In any case, the meaning seems to be: Do not exaggerate, do not make things complicated.
- 1 Corinthians 4:8 Although the Corinthians are only beginners in faith, they act as if they have already reached the level of mature Christians. Paul shows how ludicrous this attitude is in the face of the hardships that the very preachers of the faith encounter and endure day after day.
- 1 Corinthians 4:20 Kingdom of God: the reign of God in the lives of his people, consisting of a new birth (Jn 3:3-8) and new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), which is evinced by dedicated membership in the Church and service to others (Mt 25:40ff).
1 Corinthians 4
New International Version
1 Corinthians 4
New International Version
The Nature of True Apostleship
4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants(A) of Christ and as those entrusted(B) with the mysteries(C) God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience(D) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.(E) It is the Lord who judges me.(F) 5 Therefore judge nothing(G) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.(H) He will bring to light(I) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.(J)
6 Now, 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.”(K) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.(L) 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?(M) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!(N) 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! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die(O) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle(P) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ,(Q) but you are so wise in Christ!(R) We are weak, but you are strong!(S) You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.(T) 12 We work hard with our own hands.(U) When we are cursed, we bless;(V) when we are persecuted,(W) we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage(X) of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul’s Appeal and Warning
14 I am writing this not to shame you(Y) but to warn you as my dear children.(Z) 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father(AA) through the gospel.(AB) 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.(AC) 17 For this reason I have sent to you(AD) Timothy,(AE) my son(AF) 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.(AG)
18 Some of you have become arrogant,(AH) as if I were not coming to you.(AI) 19 But I will come to you very soon,(AJ) if the Lord is willing,(AK) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of(AL) talk but of power.(AM) 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,(AN) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
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