Let a man regard us in this manner, as aservants of Christ and bstewards of cthe mysteries of God.
2In this case, moreover, it is required 1of stewards that one be found trustworthy.
3But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human 1court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.
4For I aam conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this bacquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.
5Therefore ado not go on 1passing judgment before 2the time, but wait buntil the Lord comes who will both cbring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's dpraise will come to him from God.
6Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed awhat is written, so that no one of you will bbecome 1arrogant cin behalf of one against the other.
7For who regards you as superior? aWhat 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?
8You are aalready 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.
9For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men acondemned to death; because we bhave become a spectacle to the world, 1both to angels and to men.
10We are afools for Christ's sake, but byou are prudent in Christ; cwe are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor.
11To this present hour we are both ahungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless;
12and we toil, aworking with our own hands; when we are breviled, we bless; when we are cpersecuted, we endure;
13when we are slandered, we try to 1conciliate; we have abecome as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
14I do not write these things to ashame you, but to admonish you as my beloved bchildren.
15For if you were to have countless atutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in bChrist Jesus I cbecame your father through the dgospel.
16Therefore I exhort you, be aimitators of me.
17For this reason I ahave sent to you bTimothy, who is my cbeloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, djust as I teach everywhere in every church.
18Now some have become 1 aarrogant, as though I were not bcoming to you.
19But I awill come to you soon, bif the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the 1words of those who are carrogant but their power.
20For the kingdom of God does anot consist in 1words but in power.
21What do you desire? aShall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?