¹ Let us reckon men as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

² Moreover, it is required in stewards that each one be found faithful.

³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by man's judgment; I do not even judge my own self.

⁴ For although I have nothing on my conscience, yet am I not hereby justified, but he that judges me is the Lord.

⁵ Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each one have praise of God.

⁶ And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and [to] Apollos for your sakes, that in us ye might not learn above that which is written, lest because of one, some of you become puffed up against others.

⁷ For who makes thee to judge? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], what dost thou glory of, as if thou hadst not received [it]?

⁸ Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye reign as kings without us, and I wish ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

⁹ For I think that God has 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.

¹⁰ We [are] fools for Christ's sake, but ye [are] prudent in Christ; we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong; ye [are] honourable, but we [are] despised.

¹¹ Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst and are ill clad and are buffeted and have no certain dwellingplace

¹² and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it;

¹³ being blasphemed, we intreat; we are made as the filth of this world [and are] the offscouring of all things unto this day.

¹⁴ I do not write these things to shame you, but [to] warn you, as to my beloved sons.

¹⁵ For though ye may have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet ye [shall] not [have] many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

¹⁶ Therefore, I beseech you that ye imitate me.

¹⁷ For this cause I have sent Timothy unto you, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which are in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁸ Now some are puffed up as though I will never come to you.

¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and will know not the words of those who are puffed up, but the virtue.

²⁰ For the kingdom of God [is] not in words, but in virtue.

²¹ What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod or in charity and [in] the spirit of meekness?: