The Nature of True Apostleship
1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore 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 the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
6Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul’s Appeal and Warning
14I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
Àwọn aposteli Kristi
14.1: 1Kọ 9.17; Ro 11.25; 16.25.Nítorí náà, ṣe ló yẹ kí ènìyàn máa wò wá gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìránṣẹ́ àti ìríjú tí a fún ni oore-ọ̀fẹ́ láti mọ Kristi tí a fún ní oore-ọ̀fẹ́ láti mọ àwọn ohun ìjìnlẹ̀ Ọlọ́run. 2Òun kan náà tí ó tọ́ fún ìríjú, ni kí ó jẹ́ olóòtítọ́. 3Ṣùgbọ́n ohun kíkíní ni fún mi pé, kí ẹ máa ṣe ìdájọ́ mi, tàbí kí a máa ṣe ìdájọ́ nípa ìdájọ́ ènìyàn; nítòótọ́, èmi kò tilẹ̀ dá ara mi lẹ́jọ́. 44.4: 2Kọ 1.12.Nítorí tí ẹ̀rí ọkàn mi kò dá mi ní ẹ̀bi; ṣùgbọ́n a kò ti ipa èyí dá mi láre, ṣùgbọ́n Olúwa ni ẹni tí ń ṣe ìdájọ́ mi. 54.5: Ro 2.16; 1Kọ 3.13; 2Kọ 10.18; Ro 2.29.Nítorí náà, kí ẹ má ṣe ṣe ìdájọ́ ohunkóhun, kí Olúwa tó padà dé, ẹni tí yóò mú ohunkóhun tí ó fi ara sin wá sí ìmọ́lẹ̀, tí yóò sì fi ìmọ̀ ọkàn ènìyàn hàn, nígbà náà ni olúkúlùkù yóò sì ní ìyìn tirẹ̀ lọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run.
64.6: 1Kọ 1.19,31; 3.19-20; 1.12; 3.4.Ẹ kíyèsi i pé, mo ti fi ara mi àti Apollo ṣe àpẹẹrẹ nǹkan tí mo wí, pé kí ẹ̀yin lè ti ipa wa kọ́ láti máa ṣe ohun tí a ti kọ̀wé kọjá. “Kí ẹnikẹ́ni nínú yín má ṣe tìtorí ẹnìkan gbéraga sí ẹnìkejì.” 7Nítorí ta ni ó mú ọ yàtọ̀ sí àwọn ẹlòmíràn? Kí ni ìwọ ni tí ìwọ kò rí gbà? Tí ìwọ ba sì gbà á, èétiṣe tí ìwọ fi ń halẹ̀ bí ẹni pé ìwọ kò gba á?
8Ni báyìí ẹ ní ohun gbogbo tí ẹ ń fẹ́! Báyìí ẹ sì ti di ọlọ́rọ̀! Ẹ ti di ọba. Lójú yín, àwa ti di ẹni ẹ̀yìn. Ìbá dùn mọ́ mi tí ó bá jẹ́ pé lóòtítọ́ ni ẹ ti di ọba lórí ìtẹ́ yín: tí a ó sì máa jẹ ọba pẹ̀lú yín! 94.9: 1Kọ 15.31; 2Kọ 11.23; Ro 8.36; Hb 10.33.Nítorí mo rò pé Ọlọ́run ń fi àwa aposteli hàn ní ìkẹyìn bí ẹni tí a dá lẹ́bi ikú bí àwọn, nítorí tí a fi wá ṣe ìran wò fún àwọn ènìyàn àti àwọn angẹli àti gbogbo ayé. 104.10: 1Kọ 1.18; 2Kọ 11.19; 1Kọ 3.18; 2Kọ 13.9; 1Kọ 2.3.Àwa jẹ́ aṣiwèrè nítorí Kristi, ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin jẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n nínú Kristi! Àwa jẹ́ aláìlera, ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin jẹ́ alágbára! Ẹ̀yin jẹ́ ẹni àyẹ́sí, àwa jẹ ẹni ẹ̀gàn! 114.11: Ro 8.35; 2Kọ 11.23-27.Títí di wákàtí yìí ni a ń rìn kiri nínú ebi àti òǹgbẹ, a n wọ aṣọ àkísà, tí a sì ń lù wa, tí a kò sì ní ibùgbé kan. 124.12: Ap 18.3; 1Pt 3.9.Tí a ń fi ọwọ́ ara wa ṣiṣẹ́, wọn ń gàn wa, àwa ń súre, wọn ń ṣe inúnibíni sí wa, àwa ń forítì i. 13Wọn ń kẹ́gàn wa, àwa ń bẹ̀bẹ̀. Títí di ìsinsin yìí ni a ti wà bí ohun ẹ̀gbin ayé, bí orí àkìtàn gbogbo ayé.
14Èmi kò kọ̀wé nǹkan wọ̀nyí láti fi dójútì yín, ṣùgbọ́n láti kìlọ̀ fún un yín bí àwọn ọmọ mi tí mo yàn fẹ́. 154.15: 1Kọ 1.30; Fm 10.Nítorí bí ẹ̀yin tilẹ̀ ní ẹgbàárùn-ún olùkọ́ni nínú Kristi, ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin kò ni baba púpọ̀; nítorí nínú Kristi Jesu ni mo jẹ́ baba fún un yín nípasẹ̀ ìhìnrere. 16Nítorí náà mo bẹ̀ yín, ẹ máa ṣe àfarawé mi. 174.17: 1Kọ 16.10; Ap 16.1; 1Kọ 7.17.Nítorí náà ni mo ṣe rán Timotiu sí i yín, ẹni tí í ṣe ọmọ mi olùfẹ́ àti olódodo nínú Olúwa, ẹni tí yóò máa mú yín rántí ọ̀nà mi tí ó wà nínú Kristi Jesu, gẹ́gẹ́ bí mo ti ń kọ́ni nínú gbogbo ìjọ níbi gbogbo.
18Mo mọ̀ pé àwọn mìíràn nínú yín tó ya onígbèéraga ènìyàn, tí wọn ń rò pé ẹ̀rù ń bà mi láti wá sọ́dọ̀ yín. 19Ṣùgbọ́n èmi yóò tọ̀ yín wá ní àìpẹ́ yìí bí Olúwa bá fẹ́; èmi yóò ṣe ìwádìí bí àwọn agbéraga yìí ṣe ń sọ̀rọ̀ àti agbára tí wọ́n ní. 20Nítorí ìjọba Ọlọ́run kì í ṣe nínú ọ̀rọ̀, bí kò ṣe nínú agbára. 214.21: 2Kọ 1.23.Èwo ni ẹ yàn? Kí ń wá sọ́dọ̀ yín pẹ̀lú pàṣán, tàbí ni ìfẹ́, àti ẹ̀mí tútù?
