1 Corinthians 4

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 People should think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.	1 Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God.
2 In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.	2 Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man be found faithful.
3 It is of no importance to me how you or any other human court may judge me: I will not even be thejudge of my own self.	3 But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man's day; but neither do I judge my own self.
4 It is true that my conscience does not reproach me, but that is not enough to justify me: it is the Lordwho is my judge.	4 For I am not conscious to myself of any thing, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me, is the Lord.
5 For that reason, do not judge anything before the due time, until the Lord comes; he wil bring to lighteverything that is hidden in darkness and reveal the designs of al hearts. Then everyone wil receive from Godthe appropriate commendation.	5 Therefore judge not 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 from God.
6 I have applied al this to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that you can learn how the saying,'Nothing beyond what is written' is true of us: no individual among you must become fil ed with his ownimportance and make comparisons, to another's detriment.	6 But these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo, for your sakes; that in us you may learn, that one be not puffed up against the other for another, above that which is written.
7 Who made you so important? What have you got that was not given to you? And if it was given to you,why are you boasting as though it were your own?	7 For who distinguisheth thee ? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received ? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?
8 You already have everything -- you are rich already -- you have come into your kingdom, without anyhelp from us! Wel , I wish you were kings and we could be kings with you!	8 You are now full; you are now become rich; you reign without us; and I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on show right at the end, like men condemned todeath: we have been exhibited as a spectacle to the whole universe, both angelic and human.	9 For I think that God hath set forth us apostles, the last, as it were men appointed to death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 Here we are, fools for Christ's sake, while you are the clever ones in Christ; we are weak, while youare strong; you are honoured, while we are disgraced.	10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honourable, but we without honour.
11 To this day, we go short of food and drink and clothes, we are beaten up and we have no homes;	11 Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode;
12 we earn our living by labouring with our own hands; when we are cursed, we answer with a blessing;when we are hounded, we endure it passively;	12 And we labour, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and we bless; we are persecuted, and we suffer it.
13 when we are insulted, we give a courteous answer. We are treated even now as the dregs of theworld, the very lowest scum.	13 We are blasphemed, and we entreat; we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all even until now.
14 I am writing al this not to make you ashamed but simply to remind you, as my dear children;	14 I write not these things to confound you; but I admonish you as my dearest children.
15 for even though you might have ten thousand slaves to look after you in Christ, you still have no morethan one father, and it was I who fathered you in Christ Jesus, by the gospel.	15 For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
16 That is why I urge you to take me as your pattern	16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.
17 and why I have sent you Timothy, a dear and faithful son to me in the Lord, who will remind you of myprinciples of conduct in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.	17 For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and faithful in the Lord; who will put you in mind of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus; as I teach every where in every church.
18 On the assumption that I was not coming to you, some of you have become filled with your own self-importance;	18 As if I would not come to you, so some are puffed up.
19 but I shal be coming to you soon, the Lord willing, and then I shal find out not what these self-important people say, but what power they have.	19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will: and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God consists not in spoken words but in power.	20 For the kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power.
21 What do you want then? Am I to come to you with a stick in my hand or in love, and with a spirit ofgentleness?	21 What will you ? shall I come to you with a rod; or in charity, and in the spirit of meekness ?