1Let everyone then see us as the servants of Christ and stewards of the secret works of God. 2Being stewards, faithfulness shall be demanded of us; 3but I do not mind if you or any human court judges me. I do not even judge myself; 4my conscience indeed does not accuse me of anything, but that is not enough for me to be set right with God: the Lord is the one who judges me.
5Therefore, do not judge before the time, until the coming of the Lord. He will bring to light whatever was hidden in darkness and will disclose the secret intentions of the hearts. Then each one will receive praise from God.
6Brothers and sisters, you forced me to apply these comparisons to Apollos and to myself. Learn by this example not to believe yourselves superior by siding with one against the other. 7How then are you more than the others? What have you that you have not received? And if you received it, why are you proud, as if you did not receive it?
Comforted Christians and harassed apostles
8 ① So, then, you are already rich and satisfied, and feel like kings without us! I wish you really were kings, so that we might enjoy the kingship with you!
9It seems to me that God has placed us, the apostles, in the last place, as if condemned to death, and as spectacles for the whole world, for the angels as well as for mortals.
10We are fools for Christ, while you show forth the wisdom of Christ. We are weak, you are strong. You are honored, while we are despised. 11Until now we hunger and thirst, we are poorly clothed and badly treated, while moving from place to place. 12We labor, working with our hands. People insult us and we bless them, they persecute us and we endure everything; 13they speak evil against us, and ours are works of peace. We have become like the scum of the earth, like the garbage of humankind until now. 14I do not write this to shame you, but to warn you as very dear children. 15Because even though you may have ten thousand guardians in the Christian life, you have only one father; and it was I who gave you life in Christ through the Gospel. 16Therefore I pray you to follow my example. 17With this purpose I send to you Timothy, my dear and trust worthy son in the service of the Lord. He will remind you of my way of Christian life, as I teach it in all churches everywhere.
18Some of you thought that I could not visit you and became very arrogant. 19But I will visit you soon, the Lord willing, and I will see, not what those arrogant people say, but what they can do. 20Because the kingdom of God is not a matter of words, but of power. 21What do you prefer, for me to come with a stick or with love and gentleness?
- 1 Cor 4,8 The Corinthians feel rich in their faith, rich in their spiritual gifts. They have made fair progress in the road of knowledge, and as people expert in the matter, they charitably look down on Paul, the poor Jewish preacher. The Apostle knows that his own culture and strong personality would have given him a bright future. He sees at the same time the narrow-mindedness of his adversaries but allows them to make fun of him. They think he is a fool, and in a way he is. However, even if taken for a fool he brought them to Christ.
