1 Corinthians 4

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Accordingly, let man consider us to be ministers of Christ and attendants of the mysteries of God.	1 People should think of us as Christ's servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.
2 Here and now, it is required of attendants that each one be found to be faithful.	2 In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.
3 But as for me, it is such a small thing to be judged by you, or by the age of mankind. And neither do I judge myself.	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.
4 For I have nothing on my conscience. But I am not justified by this. For the Lord is the One who judges me.	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.
5 And so, do not choose to judge before the time, until the Lord returns. He will illuminate the hidden things of the darkness, and he will make manifest the decisions of hearts. And then each one shall have praise from God.	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.
6 And so, brothers, I have presented these things in myself and in Apollo, for your sakes, so that you may learn, through us, that no one should be inflated against one person and for another, not beyond what has been written.	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.
7 For what distinguishes you from another? And what do you have that you have not received? But if you have received it, why do you glory, as if you had not received it?	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?
8 So, now you have been filled, and now you have been made wealthy, as if to reign without us? But I wish that you would reign, so that we, too, might reign with you!	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!
9 For I think that God has presented us as the last Apostles, as those destined for death. For we have been made into a spectacle for the world, and for Angels, and for men.	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.
10 So we are fools because of Christ, but you are discerning in Christ? We are weak, but you are strong? You are noble, but we are ignoble?	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.
11 Even to this very hour, we hunger and thirst, and we are naked and repeatedly beaten, and we are unsteady.	11 To this day, we go short of food and drink and clothes, we are beaten up and we have no homes;
12 And we labor, working with our own hands. We are slandered, and so we bless. We suffer and endure persecution.	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;
13 We are cursed, and so we pray. We have become like the refuse of this world, like the reside of everything, even until now.	13 when we are insulted, we give a courteous answer. We are treated even now as the dregs of theworld, the very lowest scum.
14 I am not writing these things in order to confound you, but in order to admonish you, as my dearest sons.	14 I am writing al this not to make you ashamed but simply to remind you, as my dear children;
15 For you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, but not so many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel, I have begotten you.	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.
16 Therefore, I beg you, be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.	16 That is why I urge you to take me as your pattern
17 For this reason, I have sent you Timothy, who is my dearest son, and who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere, in every church.	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.
18 Certain persons have become inflated in thinking that I would not return to you.	18 On the assumption that I was not coming to you, some of you have become filled with your own self-importance;
19 But I will return to you soon, if the Lord is willing. And I will consider, not the words of those who are inflated, but the virtue.	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.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in virtue.	20 For the kingdom of God consists not in spoken words but in power.
21 What would you prefer? Should I return to you with a rod, or with charity and a spirit of meekness?	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?