| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. | 1A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. |
| 2Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. | 2In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. |
| 3I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. | 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. |
| 4My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. | 4For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord. |
| 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 men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. | 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. |
| 6Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another. | 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. |
| 7For who makes you so 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? | 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? |
| 8Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you! | 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! |
| 9For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men. | 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. |
| 10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. | 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! |
| 11To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. | 11Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; |
| 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; | 12we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; |
| 13when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. | 13when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world's garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals. |
| 14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. | 14I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. |
| 15Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. | 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. |
| 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. | 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. |
| 17That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church. | 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. |
| 18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. | 18Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. |
| 19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have. | 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. |
| 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. | 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. |
| 21Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit? | 21What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? |
|
