rd

1 Corinthians 4

1 After that he had described the office of a true Apostle, 3 Seeing they did not acknowledge him such one, 4 He appealeth to God’s judgement, 7 Beating down their glory which hindered them to praise that, which they dispraised in him. 16 He sheweth what he requireth on their part, and what they ought to look for of him at his return.
1.Let a man so think of us, as of the aministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God.
2.And as for the rest, it is required of the disposers, that every man be found faithful.
3.*As touching me, I pass very little, to be judged of you, or of ^man’s judgement: no, I judge not bmine own self.
4.For I cknow nothing by dmy self, yet am I not thereby justified: but he that judgeth me, is the Lord.
5.Therefore *judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will lighten things that are hid in darkness, and make the counsels of the hearts manifest: and then shall every man have praise of God.
6.Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied unto mine own self and Apollos, for your sakes, that ye might learn eby us, that no man presume above that which is written, that one swell not against another for any man’s cause.
7.For who fseparateth thee? and what hast thou, that thou hast not received? if thou hast received it, why rejoycest thou, as though thou hadest not received it?
8.Now ye are full: now ye are made rich: ye reign as Kings without us, and would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9.For I think that God hath set forth us gthe last Apostles, as men appointed to death: for we are made a gazing stock unto the world, and to the Angels, and to men.
10.We are hfools for Christ’s sake, and ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, and ye strong: ye are honourable, and we are despised.
11.Unto this hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place,
12.*And labour, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and yet we bless: we are persecuted, and suffer it.
13.*We are evil spoken of, and we ^pray: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, unto this time.
14.I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you
15.For though ye have ten thousand ^instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel.
16.Wherefore, I pray you, be ye followers of me.
17.For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, which is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, which shall put you in irememberance of my ways in Christ as I teach every where in every Church.
18.Some are puffed up as though I would not come to you.
19.But I will come to you shortly, *if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20.For the kkingdom of God is not in word, but in lpower.
21.What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Notes

1-a.
As it is a thing intolerable to contemn the true ministers of God, so it is greatly reprehensible to attribute more unto them then is mete.
3-*.
Mat. 7.1.
3-^.
Greek, man’s day.
3-b.
Whether I have great gifts or little, few or many.
4-c.
For as I do not know, whereby I should take any occasion of glory: so I am certain that before God another manner of justice is required.
4-d.
Concerning mine office.
5-*.
Mat. 7.1, Rom. 2.1.
6-e.
By our example.
7-f.
To wit, from other men and preferred you?
9-g.
To diminish his authority they objected, that he was not made an Apostle by Christ, but afterwards.
10-h.
By this bitter ranting in abjecting himself and exalting the Corinthians, he makes them ashamed of their vain glory.
12-*.
Act. 20.34, 1 Thess. 2.9, 2 Thess. 3.8.
13-*.
Mat. 5.44, Luk. 23.34, Act. 7.60.
13-^.
Or, use gentle words.
15-^.
Or, pedagogues or schoolmasters.
17-i.
Forasmuch as they had so soon forgotten.
19-*.
Act. 19.21, Jam. 4.15.
20-k.
That is, whatsoever gifts we have received of God to this end, that he may reign among us.
20-l.
Of the holy Ghost.