| International Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Think of us as servants of the Messiah and as servant managers entrusted with God's secrets. | 1Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. |
| 2Now it is required of servant managers that each one should prove to be trustworthy. | 2In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. |
| 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. | 3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. |
| 4For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me. | 4For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. |
| 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. | 5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. |
| 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. | 6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. |
| 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? | 7For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? |
| 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! | 8You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. |
| 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. | 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. |
| 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. | 10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. |
| 11We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present. | 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; |
| 12We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure. | 12and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; |
| 13When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe. | 13when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now. |
| 14I'm not writing this to make you feel ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children. | 14I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. |
| 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. | 15For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. |
| 16So I urge you to imitate me. | 16Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. |
| 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. | 17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. |
| 18Some of you have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to evaluate you. | 18Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. |
| 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, | 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. |
| 20for the kingdom of God isn't just talk, but also power. | 20For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. |
| 21Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a stick, or with love and a gentle spirit? | 21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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