1 This is how you should regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Now it is required that those who are entrusted as stewards must prove faithful.

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3 But to me, it is of little importance to be judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but that does not make me innocent. The one who judges me is the Lord.

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore, do not judge anything before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will disclose the motives of hearts. At that time, each person will receive praise from God.

Therefore judge nothing 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 of God.

6 Brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your sake, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over and against another.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 Already you are full! Already you are rich! You have begun to reign without us—and how I wish that you really had begun to reign, so that we also might reign with you!

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole world—to angels as well as to men.

For I think that God hath 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 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored!

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

11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, and we are homeless.

Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are insulted, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it.

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

13 When we are slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the scum of the earth, the refuse of all, even until now.

Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.

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

15 For even if you have countless teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the gospel.

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

16 Therefore, I urge you to imitate me.

Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

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

For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18 Some of you have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.

Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only what those who are arrogant are saying, but what power they have.

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of words, but of power.

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?