1 Corinthians
You are to think of us in this way: as Messiah’s servants and stewards of
God’s revealed mysteries.
And it is required of stewards that they be found
faithful.
So for me it is unimportant that I am judged by you or by
any human court. Indeed I do not even judge myself.
For I am not aware of
anything against myself, but this does not make me right. It is the lord
who judges me.
So do not keep passing judgment before the time — until the
lord comes. He will bring to light things hidden in darkness, and reveal the
motives of hearts. Then each person will receive praise from God.
Brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself as illustrations for
your benefit, so that you will learn not to go beyond what is
written, so that none of you will be arrogant and follow one person over another.
For who made you better than others? What do you have that you were not
given?
If you did receive it, why do you brag as if you had not received
it?
You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have begun to
reign as kings without us! I wish indeed that you were really reigning as
kings, so we would also be reigning as kings with you!
For I think that God has put us Apostles on display last of all, as men sentenced to death. We have been made a public spectacle to the world, both to angels and to human beings.
We are fools for Messiah, but you are wise in Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You receive honor, but we receive dishonor.
Right up to this present hour we are hungry and thirsty, poorly clothed, harshly treated, and homeless.
We are toiling, working hard with our own hands.
When people curse us, we bless them. When we are persecuted, we endure it.
When we are slandered, we respond with kindness. Even now we are
regarded as the scum of the earth, the trash of the world.
I am not writing these things to you to shame you, but to warn you
as my beloved children.
Even if you had ten thousand tutors in Messiah, you do not have many fathers, because in Messiah Jesus I became your father
through the Gospel.
So then I appeal to you to be imitators of me.
That is
why I have sent Timothy to you, my beloved and faithful child in the lord. He
will remind you of my ways in Messiah, just as I teach everywhere
in every church.
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not
coming to you.
But I will come to you shortly, if the lord is willing. I will
find out, not only about the words of these arrogant people, but also about their
power.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words, but of power.
What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod to discipline you, or with love and a
spirit of gentleness?
1 Corinthians