1 S o then, let us be looked upon as ministering servants of Christ and stewards (trustees) of the mysteries (the secret purposes) of God.

¶ Let us reckon men as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 M oreover, it is required of stewards that a man should be found faithful.

Moreover, it is required in stewards that each one be found faithful.

3 B ut it matters very little to me that I should be put on trial by you, and that you or any other human tribunal should investigate and question and cross-question me. I do not even put myself on trial and judge myself.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by man’s judgment; I do not even judge my own self.

4 I am not conscious of anything against myself, and I feel blameless; but I am not vindicated and acquitted before God on that account. It is the Lord Who examines and judges me.

For although I have nothing on my conscience, yet am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord.

5 S o do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes, for He will both bring to light the secret things that are in darkness and disclose and expose the aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.

Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each one have praise of God.

6 N ow I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your sakes, brethren, so that from what I have said of us, you may learn not to go beyond that which is written, that none of you may be puffed up and inflated with pride and boast in favor of one against another.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye might not learn above that which is written, lest because of one, some of you become puffed up against others.

7 F or who separates you from the others ? What have you that was not given to you? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received ?

¶ For who makes thee to judge? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, what dost thou glory of, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 ' > You behave as if] you are already filled and think you have enough! Already you have become rich!, you have ascended your thrones and come into your kingdom without including us! And would that it were true and that you did reign, so that we might be sharing the kingdom with you!

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye reign as kings without us, and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 F or it seems to me that God has made an exhibit of us apostles, exposing us to view last sentenced to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world with both men and angels.

For I think that God has 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.

10 W e are fools on account of Christ and for His sake, but you are so amazingly wise and prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are highly esteemed, but we are in disrepute and contempt!

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 T o this hour we have gone both hungry and thirsty; we '> habitually] wear but one undergarment; we are roughly knocked about and wander around homeless.

Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are ill clad and are buffeted and have no certain dwellingplace

12 A nd we still toil unto weariness, working hard with our own hands. When men revile us '> wound us with an accursed sting], we bless them. When we are persecuted, we take it patiently and endure it.

and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;

13 W hen we are slandered and defamed, we answer softly and bring comfort. We have been made and are now the rubbish and filth of the world.

being blasphemed, we intreat; we are made as the filth of this world and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 I do not write this to shame you, but to warn and counsel you as my beloved children.

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

15 A fter all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel).

For though ye may have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye shall not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 S o I urge and implore you, be imitators of me.

Therefore, I beseech you that ye imitate me.

17 F or this very cause I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, who will recall to your minds my methods of proceeding and course of conduct and way of life in Christ, such as I teach everywhere in each of the churches.

¶ For this cause I have sent Timothy unto you, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every congregation.

18 S ome of you have become conceited and arrogant and pretentious, counting on my not coming to you.

Now some are puffed up as though I will never come to you.

19 B ut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will perceive and understand not what the talk of these puffed up and arrogant spirits amount to, but their force ( the moral power and excellence of soul they really possess).

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and will know not the words of those who are puffed up, but the virtue.

20 F or the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power ( moral power and excellence of soul).

For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in virtue.

21 N ow which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of correction, or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?

What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod or in charity and in the spirit of meekness?