1 ARST I want people to think of us{ who proclaim the good news} as those who serve the Messiah and who are in charge of proclaiming what God has now revealed to us. BSB BSB: So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 ARST Whenever a leader puts another person in charge, the leader requires that person to do his or her tasks faithfully.{ In the same way, God requires that we who proclaim the good news do our task faithfully.} BSB BSB: Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.
3 ARST I do not worry about what you or any other human authority decides{ about whether I have acted faithfully or not}. In fact, I do not even worry about what I myself decide{ about whether I have acted faithfully or not}. BSB BSB: I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
4 ARST In fact, I do not know about anything I have done wrong. However, what I know about myself does not prove that I have acted faithfully. Rather, it is the Lord who will decide{ whether I have acted faithfully or not}. BSB BSB: My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.
5 ARST So then, you should not finally decide about anything until the Lord comes back{ to judge everyone and everything}. He will make clear what is now hidden, and he will show everyone what each person desires and plans. At that time, God will praise each person{ who has acted faithfully}. BSB BSB: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
6 ARST My fellow believers, I have talked in this way about myself and Apollos for your benefit. I want you to learn from our example that you should act only in ways that fit with what the authors of the Scriptures wrote. Then, nobody will speak great things about one leader and bad things about another leader. BSB BSB: Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another.
7 ARST Nobody has set you apart{ from every other believer}. In fact, God has given to you every good thing that you have. Since these things are gifts from God, you should not say proudly that you yourself earned them. BSB BSB: For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 ARST { You are acting as if} you currently have everything that you need spiritually.{ You are acting as if} you currently have more spiritual blessings than you need.{ You are acting as if} you have currently begun to rule with Christ, even though we{ who proclaim the good news} are not ruling with Christ now. Indeed, I wish that you really were ruling with him, in order that we{ who proclaim the good news} could be ruling with you. BSB BSB: Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!
9 ARST Rather{ than thinking that we rule with Christ now}, I consider us apostles to be those whom God has appointed to suffer humiliation and to die. We suffer humiliation and die publicly, and everything that God has created, including spiritual beings and humans, can see us. BSB BSB: For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.
10 ARST We{ seem to} be foolish people because we serve the Messiah, but{ you think that} you are wise people because God unites you to the Messiah. We{ seem to} be people who do not have power or influence, but{ you think that} you do have these things.{ You think that} people praise you, but those people shame us. BSB BSB: We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.
11 ARST Even now{ as I write this letter to you}, we{ whom Christ has sent} have often not had enough food or drink. We wear ragged clothing, and others repeatedly strike us. We constantly travel and do not return to a home. BSB BSB: To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
12 ARST We do manual labor{ to earn a living}. When people speak badly to us, we say good things about them. When people hurt us{ because we serve the Messiah}, we patiently live through it. BSB BSB: We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
13 ARST When people say bad things about us, we say encouraging words to them. From a human perspective, we are worthless, like filthy garbage that someone should throw away.{ All these things are true about us} even now{ as I write this letter to you}. BSB BSB: when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
14 ARST I do not include in my letter what I have just finished saying because I want to make you ashamed. Rather,{ I include these things} because I want to admonish you, since you are like my own children, whom I love. BSB BSB: I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.
15 ARST When I first preached the good news to you, and God united you to Jesus the Messiah, I became your spiritual father. So, even if you had a million teachers who helped you to live in union with the Messiah, I would still be the only spiritual father you have. BSB BSB: Even if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
16 ARST Because{ I am your spiritual father}, I plead with you to imitate how I live. BSB BSB: Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
17 ARST Because{ I want you to imitate me}, I had Timothy visit you. He is like my own child, and I love him. He faithfully{ serves the Messiah} as one whom God has united to the Lord. He will teach you again about how I behave as one whom God has united to the Messiah Jesus. I instruct every church in every place{ that I visit} to behave in these ways. BSB BSB: That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.
18 ARST Some of you are saying great things about yourselves. These people act as if I were not about to visit you. BSB BSB: Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.
19 ARST However, I will visit you very soon, as long as the Lord wants{ me to do so}. I already know what these people who say great things about themselves claim.{ When I visit you}, I will learn whether they are actually powerful or not. BSB BSB: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.
20 ARST { I will do this} because God’ s kingdom functions by God working powerfully through people, not by people saying great things. BSB BSB: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
21 ARST When you choose how you will respond to what I am saying, you are also choosing how I will act{ when I visit}. When I visit you, I can either harshly discipline you{ because you did not listen}, or I can act gently and lovingly{ because you did listen}. BSB BSB: Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.