D.
Stewards of the mysteries of God
4:1-21
1.
Faithful servants of Christ
vv. 1-5
1 Cor. 4
:1
4:1
A man should
1account us
2in this way, as
3aservants of Christ and
4bstewards of the
cmysteries of God.
1 Cor. 4
:2
4:2
1Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards that one be found
afaithful.
1 Cor. 4
:3
4:3
But to me it is a very small thing that I should be
1aexamined by you or by
2man's day; rather I do not even examine myself.
1 Cor. 4
:4
4:4
For I am conscious of nothing against myself; but I am not justified in this, but He who examines me is the Lord.
1 Cor. 4
:5
4:5
So then do not
1ajudge anything
2before the time, until the Lord
bcomes, who will both bring to light the
chidden things of darkness and make
dmanifest the counsels of the hearts, and then there will be
epraise to each from God.
2.
A spectacle both to angels and to men
vv. 6-9
1 Cor. 4
:6
4:6
Now 1these things, brothers, I have
2transferred in figure to myself and
aApollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us the matter of not
going beyond
3what has been written, that none of you may be
bpuffed up on behalf of
cone, against the other.
1 Cor. 4
:7
4:7
For 1who distinguishes you? And what do you have that you did not
areceive? And if you did receive
it, why do you boast as though not having received
it?
1 Cor. 4
:8
4:8
1Already you are filled; already you have become
arich; you have reigned without us. And I would have it indeed that you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
1 Cor. 4
:9
4:9
For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles
1last of all as
2doomed to
adeath, because we have become a
3bspectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
3.
The offscouring of the world and the scum of all things
vv. 10-13
1 Cor. 4
:10
4:10
We are
1afools because of Christ, but you are
bprudent in Christ; we are
2cweak, but you are strong; you are
3glorious, but we are
ddishonored.
1 Cor. 4
:11
4:11
Until the present hour we both
ahunger and thirst, and are naked and
bbuffeted and wander without a home;
1 Cor. 4
:12
4:12
And we labor,
aworking with our own
bhands. Reviled we
cbless;
dpersecuted we endure;
1 Cor. 4
:13
4:13
1Defamed we
2exhort. We have become as the
3aoffscouring of the world, the scum of all things, until now.
4.
The begetting father
vv. 14-21
1 Cor. 4
:14
4:14
It is not to
ashame you
that I write these things but to admonish
you as my beloved
bchildren.
1 Cor. 4
:15
4:15
For though you have ten thousand
1guides in Christ, yet
you do not
have many
2afathers; for
bin Christ Jesus I have
cbegotten you through the
dgospel.
1 Cor. 4
:16
4:16
I 1exhort you therefore, Become
aimitators of me.
1 Cor. 4
:17
4:17
Because of this I have sent
aTimothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful
bchild in the Lord, who will remind you of my
1ways which are in Christ, even as I teach
2everywhere in every
cchurch.
1 Cor. 4
:18
4:18
Now some have become
apuffed up as though I were not coming to you.
1 Cor. 4
:19
4:19
But I will
acome to you shortly, if the Lord
bwills, and I will ascertain not the speech of those who are puffed up but the power.
1 Cor. 4
:20
4:20
For the
1akingdom of God is not in speech but in
bpower.
1 Cor. 4
:21
4:21
What do you want? Should I
acome to you with a
1rod or in love and a
2bspirit of
cmeekness?
