the Fourth Week of Advent
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Murdock Translation
1 Corinthians 4
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 4 -(For I am not conscious in myself of any thing [fn] ; yet I am not by this justified; for the Lord is my judge.) 5 5 Therefore pronounce not judgments before the time, [fn] until the Lord come, who will pour light upon the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the thoughts of [fn] hearts: and then will each one have [fn] praise from God. 6 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 [fn] , 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 18 Now some of you are inflated, as though I would not [fn] 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?
