| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1One should think about us this way--as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. | 1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. |
| 2Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful. | 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. |
| 3So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. | 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. |
| 4For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord. | 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. |
| 5So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God. | 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. |
| 6I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn "not to go beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other. | 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. |
| 7For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not? | 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? |
| 8Already you are satisfied! Already you are rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you had become kings so that we could reign with you! | 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! |
| 9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to die, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. | 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. |
| 10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored! | 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! |
| 11To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, brutally treated, and without a roof over our heads. | 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. |
| 12We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure, | 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; |
| 13when people lie about us, we answer in a friendly manner. We are the world's dirt and scum, even now. | 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. |
| 14I am not writing these things to shame you, but to correct you as my dear children. | 14I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. |
| 15For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. | 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. |
| 16I encourage you, then, be imitators of me. | 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. |
| 17For this reason, I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and faithful son in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. | 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. |
| 18Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. | 18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. |
| 19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. | 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. |
| 20For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power. | 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. |
| 21What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness? | 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? |
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