1 Corinthians · Berean Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 4 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1 Οὕτως ἡμᾶς λογιζέσθω ἄνθρωπος, ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων Θεοῦ.
2 Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
2 ὃ δὲ λοιπὸν ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ.
3 I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
3 ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλάχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀνακριθῶ ἢ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακρίνω·
4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.
4 οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι· ὁ δὲ ἀνακρίνων με Κύριός ἐστιν.
5 Therefore 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 men’s hearts. At that time each will receive 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 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
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 makes you so 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?
7 τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; τί δὲ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες; εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες, τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών;
8 Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really 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 displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as 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 fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
10 ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ· ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί· ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι.
11 To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
11 ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν καὶ γυμνητεύομεν καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν
12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
12 καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν, διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα,
13 when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
13 βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι.
14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
14 Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ.
15 Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
15 ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.
16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
16 παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.
17 That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach 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 Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
18 Ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου δέ μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐφυσιώθησάν τινες·
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
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 a matter of talk but of power.
20 οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δυνάμει.
21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with 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)