1 Corinthians 4

¹SO let a man esteem us as the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God.

²Here now is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful.

³But to me it is a thing of least account, to be judged of you, or of man's day: But I judge not my-self neither.

⁴For I am not guilty in conscience of any thing; but I am not justified herein: but he that judgeth me, is our Lord.

⁵Therefore judge not before the time; until our Lord do come, who also will lighten the hidden things of darkness, & will manifest the counsels of the hearts: & then the praise shall be to every man of God.

⁶But these things, brethren, I have transfigured into myself and Apollo, for you; that in us you may learn, one not to be puffed up against another, above that is written.

⁷For who discerneth thee? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, what doest thou glory as though thou hast not received?

⁸Now you are filled, now are you become rich: without us you reign; & I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you.

⁹For I think that God hath shewed us Apostles the last, as it were deputed to death: because we are made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels and men.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ; but you wise in Christ. We weak; but you strong. You noble, but we base.

¹¹Until this hour we do both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten with buffets, and are wanderers,

¹²and labour working with our own hands. We are cursed; and do bless. We are persecuted; and sustain it.

¹³We are blasphemed; and we beseech. We are made the refuse of this world, the dross of all even until now.

¹⁴Not to confound you, do I write these things; but as my dearest children I admonish you.

¹⁵For if you have ten thousand Pædagogues in Christ; yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus by the Gospel I begat you.

¹⁶I beseech you therefore be followers of me.

¹⁷Therefore have I sent to you Timothee, who is my dearest son and faithful in our Lord; who will put you in mind of my ways that are in Christ Jesus, as everywhere in every Church I teach.

¹⁸As though I would not come to you, so certain are puffed up.

¹⁹But I will come to you quickly, if our Lord will: and will know not the words of them that be puffed up, but the power.

²⁰For the Kingdom of God is not in words, but in power.

²¹What will you? in rod that I come to you; or in charity, and the spirit of mildness?