ܞ

 1 Let us be so accounted of by you, as the servants of Messiah, and the stewards of the mysteries of God.
 2 Now it is required of stewards, that each be found faithful.
 3 But to me, it is a light matter to be judged of by you, or by any man whatever; nay, I am no judge of myself.
 4 -(For I am not conscious in myself of any thing [flagrant]; yet I am not by this justified; for the Lord is my judge.)
 5 Therefore pronounce not judgments before the time, [or] until the Lord come, who will pour light upon the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the thoughts of [men's] hearts: and then will each one have [due] praise from God.
 6 These things, my Brethren, I have stated concerning the person of myself and of Apollos, for your sakes; that, in us, ye might learn not to think [of men], above what is written; and that no one might exalt himself in comparison with his fellow, on account of any person.
 7 For who exploreth thee? Or what hast thou, which thou didst not receive ? And if thou receivedst it, why gloriest thou, as if thou didst not receive it ?
 8 Now ye are yourselves full, and enriched; and, without us, are on thrones! And I wish ye were enthroned; that we also might reign with you.
 9 But I suppose, that God hath placed us legates the last, as for death; since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.
10 We are fools, on account of Messiah; but ye are wise in Messiah ! We are feeble; but ye are strong! Ye are lauded, we are contemned.
11 Unto this hour, we hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no permanent home:
12 and we toil, working with our own hands: they defame us, and we bless: they persecute us, and we endure it:
13 they revile us, and we entreat them: we are as the filth of the world, and the expiation for all men, up to this time.
14 I write these things, not to shame you; but I instruct you, as dear children.
15 For though ye have a myriad of teachers in Messiah, yet not many fathers; for in Jesus Messiah, I have begotten you by preaching.
16 I beseech you, therefore, that ye be like me.
17 For this cause have I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, that he might bring to your recollection my ways in Messiah, agreeably to what I teach in all the churches.
18 Now some of you are inflated, as though I would not [dare] come to you.
19 But I will come to you speedily, if God be willing: and I will know, not the speech of them who exalt themselves, but their power:
20 for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will ye? Shall I come to you with the rod, or with love and a gentle spirit ?