1 Corinthians 4:4

Contextual Overview

¹So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. ¹ This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. ¹ So, don't look at Apollos and me as anything more than cowboys who've been put in charge of teaching you the mystery of how to ride for God. ¹ Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹Let a man consider us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ¹ Let us be judged as servants of Christ, and as those who are responsible for the secret things of God. ¹ Let a man so account of us as servants of Christ, and stewards of [the] mysteries of God. ¹ A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. ¹ So let a man think of us as Christ's servants, and stewards of God's mysteries. ¹ Let a man so account us, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For: ץהום [Strong's G3762], דבס [Strong's G1063], ולבץפש [Strong's G1683], ףץםןיהב. "For I am not conscious to myself of any guilt" or neglect of duty. Wetstien has shown, from the classics, that this is the proper signification of ףץםויהוים.

I know: Job 27:6, Psalms 7:3-5, John 21:17, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 1 John 3:20, 1 John 3:21

yet: Job 9:2, Job 9:3, Job 9:20, Job 15:14, Job 25:4, Job 40:4, Psalms 19:12, Psalms 130:3, Psalms 143:2, Proverbs 21:2, Romans 3:19, Romans 3:20, Romans 4:2

but: 1 Corinthians 4:5, Psalms 26:12, Psalms 50:6, 2 Corinthians 5:10

Reciprocal: Numbers 9:8 - I will Deuteronomy 9:4 - Speak not 1 Samuel 12:5 - ye have Job 9:15 - though Job 9:21 - yet would Job 23:5 - know Psalms 7:8 - The Lord Psalms 17:3 - proved Psalms 43:1 - Judge Proverbs 20:9 - General Acts 23:1 - I have Acts 24:16 - General Romans 14:4 - Who 2 Corinthians 5:11 - but 2 Corinthians 5:20 - in Galatians 6:4 - rejoicing 2 Timothy 4:1 - who

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
So Cain went out from the Lord 's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lorde, & dwelt in the lande of Nod, eastwarde from Eden.

Genesis 4:16
Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cayn yede out fro the face of the Lord, and dwellide fleynge aboute in erthe, at the eest coost of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the East of Eden.

Genesis 4:16
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord , and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For I know nothing by myself,.... Which must be understood with a restriction to the subject he is upon, faithfulness in the ministry; otherwise he knew much by himself of indwelling sin, and the corruption of his nature, which he sometimes found very strong and prevalent in him, and of the daily infirmities of life; but as to his ministerial service, he was pure from the blood of all men; he honestly declared what he knew to be the mind of God, and concealed nothing that might be useful to men; in this he had a clear conscience, void of offence both towards God and men,

Yet am I not hereby justified; from all fault and blame, which might possibly escape his knowledge and observation; for in many things all offend, and no man can understand all his errors; and there might be some mistakes which the apostle was not privy to, or conscious of; and were he even free from all, he declares, that such an unstained integrity, in the discharge of his ministerial work, was not the matter of his justification before God, nor did he depend upon it:

but he that judgeth me is the Lord; either who adjudges me to eternal life, justifying me through the righteousness of his Son, in which alone I desire to be found, living and dying; or he that knows my heart, and all my ways, will be my judge at the last day; and to his judgment I appeal and submit, and sit easy in the mean while under all the censures and calumnies of men. The apostle did, as his Lord and Saviour had done before him, who, when he was reviled and reproached by men, conscious of his own innocence and integrity, committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I know nothing by myself - There is evidently here an ellipsis to be supplied, and it is well supplied by Grotius, Rosenmuller, Calvin, etc. “I am not conscious of evil, or unfaithfulness to myself; that is, in my ministerial life.” It is well remarked by Calvin, that Paul does not here refer to the whole of his life, but only to his apostleship. And the sense is, “I am conscious of integrity in this office. My own mind does not condemn me of ambition or unfaithfulness. Others may accuse me, but I am not conscious of that which should condemn me, or render me unworthy of this office.” This appeal Paul elsewhere makes to the integrity and faithfulness of his ministry. So his speech before the elders of Ephesus at Miletus; Acts 20:18-19, Acts 20:26-27; compare 2Co 7:2; 2 Corinthians 12:17. It was the appeal which a holy and faithful man could make to the integrity of his public life, and such as every minister of the gospel ought to be able to make.

Yet am I not hereby justified - I am not justified because I am not conscious of a failure in my duty. I know that God the judge may see imperfections where I see none. I know that I may be deceived; and therefore, I do not pronounce a judgment on myself as if it were infallible and final. It is not by the consciousness of integrity and faithfulness that I expect to be saved; and it does not follow that I claim to be free from all personal blame. I know that partiality to ourselves will often teach us to overlook many faults that others may discern in us.

He that judgeth me is the Lord - By his judgment I am to abide; and by his judgment I am to receive my eternal sentence, and not by my own view of myself. He searcheth the hearts. He may see evil where I see none. I would not, therefore, be self-confident; but would, with humility, refer the whole case to him. Perhaps there is here a gentle and tender reproof of the Corinthians, who were so confident in their own integrity; and a gentle admonition to them to be more cautious, as it was possible that the Lord would detect faults in them where they perceived none.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 4:4. For I know nothing by myself — Ουδεν γαρ εμαυτῳ συνοιδα· I am not conscious that I am guilty of any evil, or have neglected to fulfil faithfully the duty of a steward of Jesus Christ. The import of the verb συνειδειν is to be conscious of guilt; and conscire has the same meaning: so, in Horace, Nil CONSCIRE sibi, to know nothing to one's self, is the same as nulla pellescere culpa, not to grow pale at being charged with a crime, through a consciousness of guilt.

Yet am I not hereby justified — I do not pretend to say that though I am not conscious of any offence towards God I must therefore be pronounced innocent; no: I leave those things to God; he shall pronounce in my favour, not I myself. By these words the apostle, in a very gentle yet effectual manner, censures those rash and precipitate judgments which the Corinthians were in the habit of pronouncing on both men and things-a conduct than which nothing is more reprehensible and dangerous.