1 You|strong="G3779" should|strong="G2316" think|strong="G3049" of|strong="G2316" us as|strong="G5613" servants|strong="G5257" of|strong="G2316" Christ|strong="G5547", the|strong="G2532" ones God|strong="G2316" has|strong="G2316" trusted to|strong="G2532" do|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" work|strong="G3623" of|strong="G2316" making known his|strong="G5613" secret truths.
2 Those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" are|strong="G3588" trusted with|strong="G1722" such|strong="G5100" an|strong="G2147" important work|strong="G3623" must|strong="G3588" show that|strong="G2443" they|strong="G2147" are|strong="G3588" worthy of|strong="G5100" that|strong="G2443" trust.
3 But|strong="G1161" I|strong="G1473" don’t|strong="G3761" consider your|strong="G3761" judgment on|strong="G1519" this|strong="G2443" point to|strong="G1519" be|strong="G1510" worth anything|strong="G0235". Even|strong="G3761" an|strong="G1510" opinion from|strong="G5259" a|strong="G1510" court|strong="G2250" of|strong="G2250" law would|strong="G2250" mean|strong="G1510" nothing. I|strong="G1473" don’t|strong="G3761" even|strong="G3761" trust my|strong="G5259" own|strong="G1683" judgment.
4 I|strong="G1473" don’t|strong="G3756" know of|strong="G2962" any|strong="G3762" wrong I|strong="G1473" have|strong="G1510" done, but|strong="G1161" that|strong="G3778" does|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" make|strong="G3756" me|strong="G1473" right. The|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" is|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3588" one|strong="G3762" who|strong="G3588" must|strong="G0235" decide if I|strong="G1473" have|strong="G1510" done well|strong="G1063" or|strong="G1161" not|strong="G3756".
5 So|strong="G2532" don’t|strong="G3361" judge|strong="G2919" anyone|strong="G5100" now|strong="G2532". The|strong="G3588" time|strong="G2540" for|strong="G0575" judging|strong="G2919" will|strong="G2316" be|strong="G1096" when|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" comes|strong="G2064". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2316" shine light|strong="G5461" on|strong="G0575" everything that|strong="G3739" is|strong="G2316" now|strong="G2532" hidden|strong="G2927" in|strong="G2316" darkness|strong="G4655". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G2316" make|strong="G5319" known|strong="G5319" the|strong="G3588" secret|strong="G2927" purposes of|strong="G0575" our|strong="G2316" hearts|strong="G2588". Then|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" praise|strong="G1868" each|strong="G1538" person|strong="G1538" should|strong="G5100" get|strong="G1096" will|strong="G2316" come|strong="G2064" from|strong="G0575" God|strong="G2316".
6 Brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G2532" sisters, I|strong="G1473" have|strong="G2532" used Apollos|strong="G0625" and|strong="G2532" myself|strong="G1683" as|strong="G1519" examples for|strong="G1519" you|strong="G5210". I|strong="G1473" did this|strong="G3778" so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G5210" could|strong="G3361" learn|strong="G3129" from|strong="G2596" us|strong="G1519" the|strong="G3588" meaning of|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3588" words|strong="G2532", “Follow what|strong="G3739" the|strong="G3588" Scriptures say|strong="G1223".” Then|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" will|strong="G3739" not|strong="G3361" brag about|strong="G1722" one|strong="G1520" person|strong="G2087" and|strong="G2532" criticize another|strong="G2087".
7 Who|strong="G3739" do|strong="G2192" you|strong="G4771" think you|strong="G4771" are|strong="G3739"? Everything you|strong="G4771" have|strong="G2192" was|strong="G3739" given to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G4771". So|strong="G2532", if|strong="G1487" everything you|strong="G4771" have|strong="G2192" was|strong="G3739" given to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G4771", why|strong="G5101" do|strong="G2192" you|strong="G4771" act as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G1487" you|strong="G4771" got it|strong="G1161" all|strong="G1063" by|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2192" own power?
8 You|strong="G5210" think you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G1510" everything you|strong="G5210" need. You|strong="G5210" think you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G1510" rich|strong="G4147". You|strong="G5210" think you|strong="G5210" have|strong="G1510" become|strong="G4147" kings|strong="G0936" without|strong="G5565" us. I|strong="G1473" wish|strong="G3785" you|strong="G5210" really were|strong="G1510" kings|strong="G0936". Then|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" could rule together|strong="G2532" with|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210".
9 But|strong="G2532" it|strong="G2532" seems|strong="G1380" to|strong="G2532" me|strong="G1473" that|strong="G3754" God|strong="G2316" has|strong="G2316" given me|strong="G1473" and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" other apostles|strong="G0652" the|strong="G3588" last|strong="G2078" place|strong="G1096". We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G3588" like|strong="G5613" prisoners condemned|strong="G1935" to|strong="G2532" die, led in|strong="G2316" a|strong="G5613" parade for|strong="G1063" the|strong="G3588" whole world|strong="G2889" to|strong="G2532" see—not|strong="G2532" just|strong="G5613" people|strong="G0444" but|strong="G2532" angels|strong="G0032" too|strong="G2532".
10 We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G2478" fools|strong="G3474" for|strong="G1223" Christ|strong="G5547", but|strong="G1161" you|strong="G5210" think you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G2478" so|strong="G1161" wise|strong="G5429" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547". We|strong="G2249" are|strong="G2478" weak|strong="G0772", but|strong="G1161" you|strong="G5210" think you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G2478" so|strong="G1161" strong|strong="G2478". People give you|strong="G5210" honor|strong="G0820", but|strong="G1161" they|strong="G1161" don’t honor|strong="G0820" us|strong="G1722".
11 Even|strong="G2532" now|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2532" still don’t have|strong="G2532" enough to|strong="G2532" eat or|strong="G2532" drink, and|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2532" don’t have|strong="G2532" enough clothes. We|strong="G2532" often get beatings. We|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" no homes.
12 We|strong="G2532" work|strong="G2038" hard|strong="G2872" with|strong="G2532" our|strong="G2532" own|strong="G2398" hands|strong="G5495" to|strong="G2532" feed ourselves. When|strong="G2532" people|strong="G3588" insult us, we|strong="G2532" ask God to|strong="G2532" bless|strong="G2127" them|strong="G1377". When|strong="G2532" people|strong="G3588" treat us badly, we|strong="G2532" accept it|strong="G2532".
13 When|strong="G5613" people|strong="G3956" say bad things|strong="G3956" about|strong="G5613" us, we|strong="G5613" try to|strong="G2193" say something that|strong="G3956" will|strong="G3956" help them|strong="G3870". But people|strong="G3956" still|strong="G2193" treat us like|strong="G5613" the|strong="G3956" world’s|strong="G2889" garbage—everyone’s|strong="G3956" trash.
14 I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" not|strong="G3756" trying to|strong="G3778" make|strong="G3756" you|strong="G5210" feel ashamed, but|strong="G0235" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" writing|strong="G1125" this|strong="G3778" to|strong="G3778" counsel you|strong="G5210" as|strong="G5613" my|strong="G1788" own dear|strong="G0027" children|strong="G5043".
15 You|strong="G5210" may|strong="G5547" have|strong="G2192" ten|strong="G3463" thousand|strong="G3463" teachers in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547", but|strong="G0235" you|strong="G5210" don’t|strong="G3756" have|strong="G2192" many|strong="G4183" fathers|strong="G3962". Through|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3588" Good|strong="G2098" News|strong="G2098" I|strong="G1473" became|strong="G1080" your|strong="G1437" father|strong="G3962" in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424".
16 So|strong="G3767" I|strong="G1473" beg|strong="G3870" you|strong="G5210" to|strong="G1096" be|strong="G1096" like me|strong="G1473".
17 That|strong="G3739" is|strong="G1510" why|strong="G1223" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510" sending|strong="G3992" Timothy|strong="G5095" to|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210". He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" my|strong="G3956" son|strong="G5043" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3956" Lord|strong="G2962". I|strong="G1473" love|strong="G0027" him|strong="G0846" and|strong="G2532" trust him|strong="G0846". He|strong="G2532" will|strong="G1510" help you|strong="G5210" remember|strong="G0363" the|strong="G3956" way|strong="G3598" I|strong="G1473" live in|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424"—a|strong="G1510" way|strong="G3598" of|strong="G1223" life that|strong="G3739" I|strong="G1473" teach|strong="G1321" in|strong="G1722" every|strong="G3956" meeting of|strong="G1223" the|strong="G3956" church|strong="G1577" wherever I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1510".
18 Some|strong="G5100" of|strong="G5100" you|strong="G5210" are|strong="G1473" acting so|strong="G1161" proud|strong="G5448", it|strong="G1161" seems as|strong="G5613" though|strong="G5613" you|strong="G5210" think I|strong="G1473" won’t|strong="G3361" be|strong="G5100" coming|strong="G2064" there|strong="G1161" again.
19 But|strong="G1161" I|strong="G1437" will|strong="G2962" come|strong="G2064" to|strong="G4314" you|strong="G5210" very|strong="G2532" soon|strong="G5030", the|strong="G3588" Lord|strong="G2962" willing|strong="G2309". Then|strong="G2532" I|strong="G1437" will|strong="G2962" see|strong="G1097" if|strong="G1437" these|strong="G3588" proud|strong="G5448" talkers have|strong="G2532" the|strong="G3588" power|strong="G1411" to|strong="G4314" do|strong="G2532" anything|strong="G0235" more|strong="G3756" than|strong="G2532" talk|strong="G3056".
20 God’s|strong="G2316" kingdom|strong="G0932" is|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" seen in|strong="G1722" talk|strong="G3056" but|strong="G0235" in|strong="G1722" power|strong="G1411".
21 Which|strong="G5101" do|strong="G5101" you|strong="G5210" want|strong="G2309": that|strong="G2309" I|strong="G5101" come|strong="G2064" to|strong="G4314" you|strong="G5210" with|strong="G1722" punishment, or|strong="G2228" that|strong="G2309" I|strong="G5101" come|strong="G2064" with|strong="G1722" love|strong="G0026" and|strong="G2064" gentleness|strong="G4240"?