1 Corinthians 4
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
1 Corinthians chapter 4 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
4 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
1 Corinthians 4
1Let a man so consider us, as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.Οὕτως ἡμᾶς λογιζέσθω ἄνθρωπος, ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων Θεοῦ.
2Now furthermore what is required among stewards, is that one be found faithful.Ὃ δὲ λοιπόν, ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ.
3But to me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Indeed, I do not even judge myself.Ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλάχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀνακριθῶ, ἢ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακρίνω.
4For I am conscious of nothing, but I have not been justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι· ὁ δὲ ἀνακρίνων με Κύριός ἐστιν.
5So then judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who also will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make clear the purposes of the hearts. Then each one's praise shall come from God.Ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος, ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν· καὶ τότε ὁ ἔπαινος γενήσεται ἑκάστῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
6Now these things, brothers, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, in order that you may learn in us not to think above what is written, and that none of you may become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.Ταῦτα δέ, ἀδελφοί, μετεσχημάτισα εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ Ἀπολλὼ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν ἡμῖν μάθητε τὸ μὴ ὑπὲρ ὃ γέγραπται φρονεῖν, ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου.
7For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? And if you did indeed receive what you have, why do you boast as though you did not receive it?Τίς γάρ σε διακρίνει; Τί δὲ ἔχεις ὃ οὐκ ἔλαβες; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαβες, τί καυχᾶσαι ὡς μὴ λαβών;
8You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us; and I wish that indeed you did reign, in order that we also might reign with you!Ἤδη κεκορεσμένοι ἐστέ, ἤδη ἐπλουτήσατε, χωρὶς ἡμῶν ἐβασιλεύσατε· καὶ ὄφελόν γε ἐβασιλεύσατε, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν συμβασιλεύσωμεν.
9For I think that God has exhibited us, the apostles, last, as men appointed to death; for we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.Δοκῶ γὰρ ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐσχάτους ἀπέδειξεν ὡς ἐπιθανατίους· ὅτι θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ἀγγέλοις, καὶ ἀνθρώποις.
10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are lauded, but we are despised!Ἡμεῖς μωροὶ διὰ Χριστόν, ὑμεῖς δὲ φρόνιμοι ἐν Χριστῷ· ἡμεῖς ἀσθενεῖς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰσχυροί· ὑμεῖς ἔνδοξοι, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄτιμοι.
11Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are naked, and beaten, and homeless.Ἄχρι τῆς ἄρτι ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν, καὶ διψῶμεν, καὶ γυμνητεύομεν, καὶ κολαφιζόμεθα, καὶ ἀστατοῦμεν,
12And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;καὶ κοπιῶμεν ἐργαζόμενοι ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσί· λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν· διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα·
13being defamed, we encourage; we have become as the sweepings of the world, the offscouring of all things, to this day.βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν· ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν, πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι.
14I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you.Οὐκ ἐντρέπων ὑμᾶς γράφω ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τέκνα μου ἀγαπητὰ νουθετῶ.
15For though you might have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.Ἐὰν γὰρ μυρίους παιδαγωγοὺς ἔχητε ἐν Χριστῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πολλοὺς πατέρας· ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα.
16Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε.
17Because of this I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.Διὰ τοῦτο ἔπεμψα ὑμῖν Τιμόθεον, ὅς ἐστι τέκνον μου ἀγαπητὸν καὶ πιστὸν ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὃς ὑμᾶς ἀναμνήσει τὰς ὁδούς μου τὰς ἐν Χριστῷ, καθὼς πανταχοῦ ἐν πάσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ διδάσκω.
18Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.Ὡς μὴ ἐρχομένου δέ μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐφυσιώθησάν τινες.
19But I will come to you quickly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are arrogant, but the power.Ἐλεύσομαι δὲ ταχέως πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ γνώσομαι οὐ τὸν λόγον τῶν πεφυσιωμένων, ἀλλὰ τὴν δύναμιν.
20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.Οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δυνάμει.
21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love, and a spirit of gentleness?Τί θέλετε; Ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πρᾳότητος;
The Fathers on 1 Corinthians 4
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 1 Corinthians 4:3–4Saint John ChrysostomBut with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself, yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 4:6Saint John ChrysostomNow these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to think of men above that which is written.[52]
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 4:10Saint John Chrysostom“We are fools for Christ’s sake:” (For it is necessary from this point to resume our discourse:) “but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye have glory, but we have dishonor.”
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 4:17Open 1 Corinthians 4 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John ChrysostomFor this cause have I sent unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which be in Christ Jesus.[66]
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →