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1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
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2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
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3 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.
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4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
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5 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.
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6 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.
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7 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?
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8 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.
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9 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.
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10 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.
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11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
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12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
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13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
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14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
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15 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.
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16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
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17 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.
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18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
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19 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.
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20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
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21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
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- 1 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
- 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.
- 3 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
- 12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
- 13 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, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
- 15 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 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
- 17 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 Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.
- 19 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 For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.
- 21 What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
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