Apostles
Of Christ
So
then, men ought to regard us as Servants of Christ
AND
AS THOSE ENTRUSTED WITH THE SECRET THINGS OF GOD.
2
NOW IT IS REQUIRED
THAT
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN A TRUST
MUST
PROVE FAITHFUL.
3 I
CARE VERY LITTLE IF I AM JUDGED BY YOU
OR
BY ANY HUMAN COURT;
INDEED
I DO NOT EVEN JUDGE MYSELF.
4
My Conscience is Clear,
But
that does not make me Innocent.
IT
IS THE LORD WHO JUDGES ME.
5 THEREFORE
JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE APPOINTED TIME;
WAIT
TILL THE LORD COMES.
HE
WILL BRING TO LIGHT WHAT IS HIDDEN IN DARKNESS
AND
WILL EXPOSE THE MOTIVES OF MEN'S HEARTS.
AT
THAT TIME EACH WILL RECEIVE HIS PRAISE FROM GOD.
6
Now, brothers, I have applied these things
To
myself and Apollos for your benefit,
So
that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying,
'DON'T
GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN,'
THEN
YOU WILL NOT TAKE PRIDE IN ONE MAN
OVER
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?
8
ALREADY YOU HAVE ALL YOU WANT!
ALREADY
YOU HAVE BECOME RICH!
YOU
HAVE BECOME KINGS--AND THAT WITHOUT US!
HOW
I WISH YOU REALLY HAD BECOME KINGS
SO
THAT WE MIGHT BE KINGS WITH YOU!
9
For it seems to me
that
God has put us Apostles on Display
At
the End of the Procession,
Like
men Condemned to Die in the Arena.
WE
HAVE BEEN MADE A SPECTACLE TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE,
TO
ANGELS AS WELL AS TO MEN.
10
WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST,
BUT
YOU ARE SO WISE IN CHRIST!
WE
ARE WEAK, BUT YOU ARE STRONG!
YOU
ARE HONORED, WE ARE DISHONORED!
11
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,
We
are in rags,
We
are Brutally Treated,
We
are Homeless.
12
We work hard with our own hands.
When
we are Cursed, we Bless;
When
we are Persecuted, we Endure it;
When
we are Slandered, we answer kindly.
UP
TO THIS MOMENT
WE
HAVE BECOME THE SCUM OF THE EARTH,
THE
REFUSE OF THE WORLD.
14
I am not writing this to Shame you,
But
to Warn you, as my dear children.
15
Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ,
YOU
DO NOT HAVE MANY FATHERS,
FOR
IN CHRIST JESUS
I
BECAME YOUR FATHER THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
16
THEREFORE I URGE YOU TO IMITATE ME.
17
For this reason I am sending to you Timothy,
My
son whom I love,
Who
is Faithful in the Lord.
He
will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus,
Which
agrees with what I Teach everywhere
In
every Church.
18
Some of you have become Arrogant,
As
if I were not coming to you.
19
But I will come to you very soon,
If
the Lord is willing,
And
then I will find out
Not
only how these Arrogant people are talking,
BUT WHAT POWER THEY HAVE.
20
FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IS
NOT A MATTER OF TALK BUT OF POWER.
21 What
do you prefer?
Shall
I come to you with a whip,
Or
in love and with a gentle spirit?
(1
Corinthians 4)
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