1 Corinthians 4
In 1 Corinthians 4, the apostle Paul explains the identities and roles of various workers in ministry, such as himself and Apollos, and aims to correct divisions and an attitude of comparison within the Corinthian church.
1verseSo let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.
2verseHere, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
3verseBut with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.
4verseFor I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
5verseTherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
6verseNow these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
7verseFor who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8verseYou are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
9verseFor I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.
10verseWe are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
11verseEven to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.
12verseWe toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.
13verseBeing defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.
14verseI don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
15verseFor though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.
16verseI beg you therefore, be imitators of me.
17verseBecause of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.
18verseNow some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.
19verseBut I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.
20verseFor God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.
21verseWhat do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Structure and Flow
- Verses 1–5: Ministry as God’s steward – He says that a minister should wait for God’s evaluation, not their own judgment.
- Verses 6–13: The apostles’ humility and suffering – He presents, in contrast, that the apostles—who receive humility, service, and suffering—are not like the Corinthians who try to exalt themselves.
- Verses 14–21: Encouragement as a spiritual father – Paul states that his correction is motivated by love, and emphasizes that the true kingdom of God is manifested not in words but in power.
Key Message
In this chapter, Paul warns against human attitudes that show up in the community of faith—such as comparison, boasting, and factionalism—urging every believer and leader to reflect humbly on their position before God. He also shows that a true leader serves rather than seeks praise, and that they may be the kind of person who endures misunderstanding and suffering.
Points to Ponder
- Let’s think about whether I am a faithful steward in the place God has assigned me.
- Let’s check whether I live without being swayed by people’s evaluations, while remaining aware of God’s standards and gaze.
- Be determined to live a faithful life in the given situation, serving with humility.
Try Applying It to Me
- Let go of the habit of paying attention to people, and focus only on how God sees me.
- In the community I belong to, act not with factionalism or a sense of comparison, but with an attitude of respecting and encouraging one another.
- As a leader or as a Christian, put into practice the example of someone who endures suffering and serves.
