Christ's Servant, God's Steward

1 As for us Apostles, let any one take this view of us--we are Christ's officers, and stewards of God's secret truths.

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.

2 This being so, it follows that fidelity is what is required in stewards.

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

2 In this case, moreover, it is required (a)of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

2 In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful.(D)

2 Now it is required of servant managers that each one should prove to be trustworthy.

3 I however am very little concerned at undergoing your scrutiny, or that of other men; in fact I do not even scrutinize 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 Though I am not conscious of having been in any way unfaithful, yet I do not for that reason stand acquitted; but He whose scrutiny I must undergo is the Lord.

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 Therefore form no premature judgements, but wait until the Lord returns. He will both bring to light the secrets of darkness and will openly disclose the motives that have been in people's hearts; and then the praise which each man deserves will come to him 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 In writing this much, brethren, with special reference to Apollos and myself, I have done so for your sakes, in order to teach you by our example what those words mean, which say, "Nothing beyond what is written!" --so that you may cease to take sides in boastful rivalry, for one teacher against another.

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 Why, who gives you your superiority, my brother? Or what have you that you did not receive? And if you really did receive it, why boast as if this were not so?

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 Every one of you already has all that heart can desire; already you have grown rich; without waiting for us, you have ascended your thrones! Yes indeed, would to God that you had ascended your thrones, that we also 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 God, it seems to me, has exhibited us Apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; for we have come to be a spectacle to all creation--alike 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, for Christ's sake, are labeled as "foolish"; you, as Christians, are men of shrewd intelligence. We are mere weaklings: you are strong. You are in high repute: we are outcasts.

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 very moment we endure both hunger and thirst, with scanty clothing and many a blow.

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 Homes we have none. Wearily we toil, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we bear it patiently;

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 slandered, we try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour.

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

14 I am not writing all this to shame you, but I am offering you advice as my dearly-loved children.

14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

14 I do not write these things to (Y)shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved (Z)children.

14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.(Q)

14 I'm not writing this to make you feel ashamed, but to warn you as my dear children.

15 For even if you were to have ten thousand spiritual instructors--for all that you could not have several fathers. It is I who in Christ Jesus became your father through the Good News.

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.

16 I entreat you therefore to become like me.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

16 Therefore I exhort you, be (AE)imitators of me.

16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

16 So I urge you to imitate me.

17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you. Spiritually he is my dearly-loved and faithful child. He will remind you of my habits as a Christian teacher--the manner in which 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 But some of you have been puffed up through getting the idea that I am not coming to Corinth.

18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

18 Now some have become (h)(AJ)arrogant, as though I were not (AK)coming 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, if the Lord is willing, I shall come to you without delay; and then I shall know not the fine speeches of these conceited people, but their power.

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,

20 For Apostolic authority is not a thing of words, but of power.

20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

20 For the kingdom of God does (AO)not consist in (j)words but in power.

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

20 for the kingdom of God isn't just talk, but also power.

21 Which shall it be? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in a loving and tender spirit?

21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

21 What do you desire? (AP)Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

21 What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod,(V) or in love and a spirit of gentleness?(W)

21 Which do you prefer? Should I come to you with a stick, or with love and a gentle spirit?

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