Christ's Servant, God's Steward
1 So then, let us [who minister] be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards (trustees, administrators) of the mysteries of God [that He chooses to reveal].
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1 Let a man regard us in this manner, as (A)servants of Christ and (B)stewards of (C)the mysteries of God.
1 A person should consider us in this way: as servants(A) of Christ and managers(B) of God’s mysteries.(C)
1 Think of us as servants of the Messiah and as servant managers entrusted with God's secrets.
3 But [as for me personally] it matters very little to me that I may be judged by you or any human court [on this point]; in fact, I do not even judge myself.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
3 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human (b)court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.
3 It is of little(E) importance to me that I should be evaluated(F) by you or by any human court.(a) In fact, I don’t even evaluate myself.
3 It is a very small thing to me that I should be examined by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even evaluate myself.
4 I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
4 For I (D)am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this (E)acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
4 For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified(G) by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord.
4 For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me.
5 So do not go on passing judgment before the appointed time, but wait until the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the [secret] things that are hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
5 Therefore (F)do not go on (c)passing judgment before (d)the time, but wait (G)until the Lord comes who will both (H)bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s (I)praise will come to him from God.
5 Therefore don’t judge(H) anything prematurely, before the Lord comes,(I) who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.(J)
5 Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God.
The Apostles' Humility
6 Now I have applied these things [that is, the analogies about factions] to myself and Apollos for your benefit, believers, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written [in Scripture], so that none of you will become arrogant and boast in favor of one [minister or teacher] against the other.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed (J)what is written, so that no one of you will (K)become (e)arrogant (L)in behalf of one against the other.
6 Now, brothers,(K) I have applied these things to myself and Apollos(L) for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.”(b) The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another.
6 Brothers, I have applied all this to Apollos and myself for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what the Scriptures say. Then you will stop boasting about one person at the expense of another.
7 For who regards you as superior or what sets you apart as special? What do you have that you did not receive [from another]? And if in fact you received it [from God or someone else], why do you boast as if you had not received it [but had gained it by yourself]?
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
7 For who regards you as superior? (M)What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
7 For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?
7 For who makes you 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 receive it?
8 [You behave as if] you are already filled [with spiritual wisdom and in need of nothing more]. Already you have become rich [in spiritual gifts]! You [in your conceit] have ascended your thrones and become kings without us; and how I wish [that it were true and] that you did reign as kings, so that we might reign with you.
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
8 You are (N)already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you.
8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you!
8 You already have all you want! You have already become rich! You have become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you!
9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles at the end of the line, like men sentenced to death [and paraded as prisoners in a procession], because we have become a spectacle to the world [a show in the world’s amphitheater], both to angels and to men.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men (O)condemned to death; because we (P)have become a spectacle to the world, (f)both to angels and to men.
9 For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.
9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display in last place, like men condemned to death. We have become a spectacle for the world, for angels, and for people to stare at.
10 We are [regarded as] fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are highly esteemed, but we are dishonored.
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
10 We are (Q)fools for Christ’s sake, but (R)you are prudent in Christ; (S)we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.
10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ!(M) We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
10 We are fools for the Messiah's sake, but you are wise in the Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are continually poorly dressed, and we are roughly treated, and wander homeless.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
11 To this present hour we are both (T)hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
11 Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless;
11 We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present.
12 We work [for our living], working hard with our own hands. When we are reviled and verbally abused, we bless. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure.
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
12 and we toil, (U)working with our own hands; when we are (V)reviled, we bless; when we are (W)persecuted, we endure;
12 we labor, working(N) with our own hands.(O) When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
12 We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure.
13 When we are slandered, we try to be conciliatory and answer softly. We have become like the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
13 when we are slandered, we try to (g)conciliate; we have (X)become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
13 when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals.(P)
13 When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe.
Paul's Concern For The Corinthian Believers
15 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation].
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
15 For if you were to have countless (AA)tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in (AB)Christ Jesus I (AC)became your father through the (AD)gospel.
15 For you can have 10,000 instructors in Christ, but you can’t have many fathers. For I became your father(R) in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
15 You may have 10,000 mentors who work for the Messiah, but not many fathers. For in the Messiah Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my way of life in Christ [my conduct and my precepts for godly living], just as I teach everywhere in every church.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
17 For this reason I (AF)have sent to you (AG)Timothy, who is my (AH)beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, (AI)just as I teach everywhere in every church.
17 This is why I have sent(S) Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful(T) son in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church.
17 That's why I sent Timothy to you. He is my dear and dependable son in the Lord and will help you remember how I live for the Messiah Jesus as I teach everywhere in every church.
18 Now some of you have become arrogant and pretentious, as though I were not coming to see you.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
18 Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you.
18 Some of you have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to evaluate you.
19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not just the talk of these arrogant people, but [evaluate] their [spiritual] power [whether they live up to their own claims].
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
19 But I (AL)will come to you soon, (AM)if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the (i)words of those who are (AN)arrogant but their power.
19 But I will come to you soon,(U) if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride.
19 But I will come to you soon if it's the Lord's will. Then I'll discover not only what these arrogant people are saying but also what power they have,
21 Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod [of discipline and correction], or with love and a gentle spirit?
21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
21 Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a stick, or with love and a gentle spirit?