Servants of Christ

1So let a man reckon us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Here, henceforth, it is required in the stewards that one should be found faithful.

3But to me, it is a very little thing that I should be examined by you⁺ or by a human day. Yet neither do I examine myself. 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I have not been justified by this; but the One examining me is the Lord.

5So then do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord shall have come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the purposes of hearts; and then the praise will come to each from God.

6Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos on account of you⁺, so that in us you⁺ may learn, “Not beyond what has been written,”† so that not one of you⁺ may be puffed up over one against the other. 7For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if also you did receive it, why do you boast as not having received it?

8Already you⁺ are satiated; already you⁺ were enriched; apart from us you⁺ reigned—and I wish that you⁺ indeed reigned, so that we also might reign together with you⁺. 9For I think God set forth us, the apostles, last, as appointed to death, because we became a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

10We are fools on account of Christ, but you⁺ are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you⁺ are strong; you⁺ are glorious, but we are without honor. 11As far as the present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed, and are battered, and wander homeless, 12and we toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we bear it; 13being slandered, we entreat. We became as the scum of the world, the refuse of all, until now.

Paul’s Fatherly Warning

14I do not write these things shaming you⁺, but admonishing you as my beloved children. 15For although you⁺ may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you⁺ through the gospel. 16Therefore I exhort you⁺, become imitators of me. 17Because of this, I sent to you⁺ Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you⁺ of my ways that are in Christ Jesus,† as I teach everywhere in every church.

18Now some were puffed up, as if I were not coming to you⁺. 19But I will come to you⁺ shortly, if the Lord might will, and I will know not only the talk of those being puffed up, but the power. 20For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. 21What do you⁺ want? Should I come to you⁺ with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

Footnotes:

6 BYZ and TR you may learn not to think beyond what has been written,
17 BYZ and TR my ways that are in Christ,