1 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English
1 Corinthians 4 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Let us be judged as servants of Christ, and as those who are responsible for the secret things of God.
1 Οὕτως ἡμᾶς λογιζέσθω ἄνθρωπος, ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων Θεοῦ.
2 And it is right for such servants to be safe persons.
2 ὃ δὲ λοιπὸν ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ.
3 But it is a small thing to me that I am judged by you or by man's judging; I am not even a judge of myself.
3 ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλάχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀνακριθῶ ἢ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακρίνω·
4 For I am not conscious of any wrong in myself; but this does not make me clear, for it is the Lord who is my judge.
4 οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι· ὁ δὲ ἀνακρίνων με Κύριός ἐστιν.
5 For this reason let there be no judging before the time, till the Lord comes, who will make clear the secret things of the dark, and the designs of the heart; and then will every man have his praise from God.
5 ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος, ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν, καὶ τότε ὁ ἔπαινος γενήσεται ἑκάστῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
6 My brothers, it is because of you that I have taken Apollos and myself as examples of these things, so that in us you might see that it is not wise to go farther than what is in the holy Writings, so that no one of you may be lifted up against his brother.
6 Ταῦτα δέ, ἀδελφοί, μετεσχημάτισα εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ Ἀπολλὼ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν ἡμῖν μάθητε τὸ μὴ ὑπὲρ ὃ γέγραπται φρονεῖν, ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου.
7 For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?
7 τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; τί δὲ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες, τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών;
8 For even now you are full, even now you have wealth, you have been made kings without us: truly, I would be glad if you were kings, so that we might be kings with you.
8 ἤδη κεκορεσμένοι ἐστέ, ἤδη ἐπλουτήσατε, χωρὶς ἡμῶν ἐβασιλεύσατε· καὶ ὄφελόν γε ἐβασιλεύσατε, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν συμβασιλεύσωμεν.
9 For it seems to me that God has put us the Apostles last of all, as men whose fate is death: for we are put on view to the world, and to angels, and to men.
9 δοκῶ γὰρ ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν, ὡς ἐπιθανατίους, ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις.
10 We are made to seem foolish for Christ, but you are wise in Christ; we are feeble, but you are strong; you have glory, but we have shame.
10 ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ· ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί· ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι.
11 Even to this hour we are without food, drink, and clothing, we are given blows and have no certain resting-place;
11 ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνητεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν
12 And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;
12 καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα,
13 When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers: we are made as the unclean things of the world, as that for which no one has any use, even till now.
13 βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι.
14 I am not saying these things to put you to shame, but so that, as my dear children, you may see what is right.
14 Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ.
15 For even if you had ten thousand teachers in Christ, you have not more than one father: for in Christ Jesus I have given birth to you through the good news.
15 ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.
16 So my desire is that you take me as your example.
16 παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.
17 For this cause I have sent Timothy to you, who is my dear and true child in the Lord; he will make clear to you my ways in Christ, even as I am teaching everywhere in every church.
17 Διὰ τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον, ὅς ἐστι τέκνον μου ἀγαπητὸν καὶ πιστὸν ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὃς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τὰς ὁδούς μου τὰς ἐν Χριστῷ, καθὼς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω.
18 Now some are full of pride, as if I was not coming to you.
18 Ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου δέ μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐφυσιώθησάν τινες·
19 But I will come to you in a short time, if it is pleasing to the Lord, and I will take note, not of the word of those who are full of pride, but of the power.
19 ἐλεύσομαι δὲ ταχέως πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ γνώσομαι οὐ τὸν λόγον τῶν πεφυσιωμένων, ἀλλὰ τὴν δύναμιν·
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
20 οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δυνάμει.
21 What is your desire? is my coming to be with punishment, or is it to be in love and a gentle spirit?
21 τί θέλετε; ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πρᾳότητος;
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Timothy
A disciple from Lystra with a Greek father and a believing Jewish mother, whom Paul circumcised and took with him as a coworker; he received two letters from Paul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 16:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Peter 4:10; Titus 1:7; 1 Timothy 3:9; Ephesians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 4:5
- 2 Matthew 25:21; Luke 12:42; Luke 16:10–12; Colossians 4:17; Numbers 12:7
- 3 John 7:24; 1 Corinthians 2:15; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Corinthians 3:13
- 4 Psalm 143:2; 1 John 3:20–21; Psalm 130:3; Proverbs 21:2; Psalm 19:12
- 5 James 5:7; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Hebrews 4:13; 2 Corinthians 10:18
- 6 2 Corinthians 11:4; 2 Corinthians 12:19; 2 Corinthians 12:6; Colossians 2:18; Romans 12:3
- 7 John 3:27; 1 Peter 4:10; James 1:17; 1 Chronicles 29:11–16; John 1:16
- 8 Proverbs 13:7; Romans 12:3; Luke 6:25; 1 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 13:9
- 9 Hebrews 10:33; 2 Corinthians 4:8–12; Romans 8:36; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 1 Corinthians 15:30–32
- 10 1 Corinthians 2:3; Acts 26:24; 1 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 13:9; Acts 17:18
- 11 Romans 8:35; Philippians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 11:23–27; Matthew 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:11
- 12 1 Peter 3:9; Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:11; 1 Peter 4:12–14; Luke 6:28
- 13 Lamentations 3:45; Acts 22:22
- 14 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 3 John 4; 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Colossians 1:28
- 15 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 4:19; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 9:23
- 16 1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 13:7
- 17 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 16:1
- 18 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6–8; 1 Corinthians 4:21
- 19 2 Corinthians 13:1–4; Acts 18:21; Acts 19:21; 1 Corinthians 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:6
- 20 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Romans 14:17; Romans 1:16
- 21 2 Corinthians 13:2; 2 Corinthians 13:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:20–21; James 3:17
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Together with all other ills, I know not how, there hath come upon man's nature the disease of restless prying and of unseasonable curiosity, which Christ Himself chastised, saying, (St. Matt. vii. 1.) "Judge not, that ye be not judged." A kind of thing, which hath no pleasure as all other sins have, but only punishment and vengeance.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
… not one thing in one place, and another in another; according to which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and David, and all those commended by the mouth of God were righteous, but were judged unrighteous by foolish men, judging out of man's judgment, and gauging by the petty standard of their own manners the manners of the whole …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… is against our will; but nevertheless it doth not escape punishment, but of it too we have to give account:--both of what we know, and of what we do not know; "For I know nothing by myself," saith one, "yet am I not hereby justified:" --both for what we have done in ignorance, and what in knowledge; "For I bear …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And the Martyrs confess, by being made a spectacle unto the world, and to Angels, and to men; and thou wilt soon confess:--but it is not yet the time for thee to hear of this.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
7. For it is Thou, Lord, that judgest me; for although no "man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him," yet is there something of man which "the spirit of man which is in him" itself knoweth not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)