1 T hink of us as servants who are owned by Christ. It is our job to share the secrets of God.

Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 A servant must be faithful to his owner. This is expected of him.

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

3 I t is not the most important thing to me what you or any other people think of me. Even what I think of myself does not mean much.

But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.

4 A s for me, my heart tells me I am not guilty of anything. But that does not prove I am free from guilt. It is the Lord Who looks into my life and says what is wrong.

For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.

5 D o not be quick to say who is right or wrong. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring into the light the things that are hidden in men’s hearts. He will show why men have done these things. Every man will receive from God the thanks he should have.

Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

6 C hristian brothers, I have used Apollos and myself to show you what I am talking about. This is to help you so you will not think more of men than what God’s Word will allow. Never think more of one of God’s servants than another.

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 what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.

7 W ho made you better than your brother? Or what do you have that has not been given to you? If God has given you everything, why do you have pride? Why do you act as if He did not give it to you?

For who regards you as superior? 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?

8 Y ou are full. You are rich. You live like kings and we do not. I wish you were kings and we could be leaders with you.

You are 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.

9 I think that God has made a show of us missionaries. We are the last and the least among men. We are like men waiting to be put to death. The whole world, men and angels alike, are watching us.

For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

10 W e are thought of as fools because of Christ. But you are thought of as wise Christians! We are weak. You are strong. People respect you. They have no respect for us.

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.

11 T o this hour we are hungry and thirsty, and our clothes are worn out. People hurt us. We have no homes.

To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;

12 W e work with our hands to make a living. We speak kind words to those who speak against us. When people hurt us, we say nothing.

and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;

13 W hen people say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. People think of us as dirt that is worth nothing and as the worst thing on earth to this day. Follow Paul’s Way of Life

when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

14 I do not write these things to shame you. I am doing this to help you know what you should do. You are my much-loved children.

I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

15 Y ou may have 10, 000 Christian teachers. But remember, I am the only father you have. You became Christians when I preached the Good News to you.

For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

16 S o I ask you with all my heart to follow the way I live.

Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.

17 F or this reason I have sent Timothy to you. He is my much-loved child and a faithful Christian. He will tell you how I act as a Christian. This is the kind of life I teach in the churches wherever I go.

For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

18 S ome of you are full of pride. You think that I am not coming to visit you.

Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.

19 I f the Lord wants me to, I will come soon. I will find out when I come if these proud people have God’s power, or if they just use a lot of big words.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power.

20 T he holy nation of God is not made up of words. It is made up of power.

For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

21 W hat do you want? Do you want me to come with a stick to whip you? Or do you want me to come with love and a gentle spirit?

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