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?
Mawakili Wa Siri Za Mungu
14:1 1Kor 3:5; 9:17; Tit 1:7; Rum 16:25Basi, watu na watuhesabu sisi kuwa tu watumishi wa Kristo na mawakili wa siri za Mungu. 24:2 Lk 12:42Tena, litakiwalo ni mawakili waonekane kuwa waaminifu. 3Lakini kwangu mimi ni jambo dogo sana kwamba nihukumiwe na ninyi au na mahakama yoyote ya kibinadamu. Naam, hata mimi mwenyewe sijihukumu. 44:4 Mdo 23:1; Rum 2:13; 2Kor 10:18Dhamiri yangu ni safi, lakini hilo halinihesabii kuwa asiye na hatia. Bwana ndiye anihukumuye. 54:5 Mt 7:12; 1The 2:19; Ay 12:22; Za 90:8; 1Kor 3:13; Rum 2:29Kwa hiyo msihukumu jambo lolote kabla ya wakati wake. Ngojeni mpaka Bwana atakapokuja. Yeye atayaleta nuruni mambo yale yaliyofichwa gizani, na kuweka wazi nia za mioyo ya wanadamu. Wakati huo kila mmoja atapokea sifa anayostahili kutoka kwa Mungu.
64:6 1Kor 1:19-31; 3:19-20; 1:21Basi ndugu zangu, mambo haya nimeyafanya kwangu binafsi na Apolo kwa faida yenu, ili mweze kujifunza kutoka kwetu maana ya ule usemi usemao, “Msivuke zaidi ya yale yaliyoandikwa.” Hivyo hamtajivunia mtu fulani na kumdharau mwingine. 74:7 Yn 3:27; Rum 12:3-6Kwa maana ni nani aliyewafanya kuwa tofauti na wengine? Ni nini mlicho nacho ambacho hamkupokea? Nanyi kama mlipokea, kwa nini mnajivuna kama vile hamkupokea?
84:8 Ufu 3:17-18Sasa tayari mnayo yale yote mnayohitaji! Tayari mmekwisha kuwa matajiri! Mmekuwa wafalme, tena bila sisi! Laiti mngekuwa wafalme kweli ili na sisi tupate kuwa wafalme pamoja nanyi! 94:9 Rum 8:36; Za 71:7; Ebr 10:33Kwa maana ninaona kwamba Mungu ametuweka sisi mitume katika nafasi ya mwisho kabisa, kama watu waliohukumiwa kufa kwenye uwanja wa tamasha, kwa sababu tumefanywa kuwa maonyesho kwa ulimwengu wote, kwa malaika na kwa wanadamu pia. 104:10 1Kor 1:18; Mdo 17:18; 26:24; 1Kor 3:18; 2Kor 11:19; 1Kor 2:3Kwa ajili ya Kristo sisi ni wajinga, lakini ninyi mna hekima sana ndani ya Kristo. Sisi tu dhaifu, lakini ninyi mna nguvu. Tunadharauliwa, lakini ninyi mnaheshimiwa. 114:11 Rum 8:35; 2Kor 11:23-27Mpaka saa hii tuna njaa na kiu, tu uchi, tumepigwa na hatuna makao. 124:12 Mdo 18:3; Rum 12:14; 1Pet 3:4; Mt 5:44Tunafanya kazi kwa bidii kwa mikono yetu wenyewe. Tunapolaaniwa, tunabariki, tunapoteswa, tunastahimili, 134:13 Yer 20:18; Mao 3:45; Kum 17:7; 22:24tunaposingiziwa, tunajibu kwa upole. Mpaka sasa tumekuwa kama takataka ya dunia na uchafu wa ulimwengu.
144:14 1Kor 6:5; 15:34; 2The 3:14; 1The 2:11Siwaandikii mambo haya ili kuwaaibisha, bali ili kuwaonya, kama wanangu wapendwa. 154:15 1Kor 9:12-23; 15:1Hata kama mnao walimu 10,000 katika Kristo, lakini hamna baba wengi. Mimi nilikuwa baba yenu katika Kristo Yesu kwa kuwaletea Injili. 164:16 1Kor 11:1; Flp 3:17; 4:9; 1The 1:6; 2The 3:7-9Basi nawasihi igeni mfano wangu. 174:17 1Kor 16:10; Mdo 16:1; 1Tim 1:2Kwa sababu hii ninamtuma Timotheo, mwanangu mpendwa na mwaminifu katika Bwana. Yeye atawakumbusha kuhusu njia za maisha yangu katika Kristo Yesu, ambayo yanakubaliana na mafundisho yangu ninayofundisha katika kila kanisa.
184:18 Yer 43:2Baadhi yenu mmekuwa na jeuri mkidhani kuwa sitafika kwenu. 194:19 1Kor 16:5-6; 2Kor 1:15; Mdo 18:21Lakini kama Bwana akipenda, nitafika kwenu mapema, nami nitapenda kujua, si tu kile wanachosema hawa watu jeuri, bali pia kujua nguvu yao. 204:20 Rum 14:17; 15:13Kwa kuwa Ufalme wa Mungu si maneno matupu tu bali ni nguvu. 214:21 2Kor 1:23; 2:1; 13:2-10Ninyi amueni. Je, nije kwenu na fimbo, au nije kwa upendo na kwa roho ya upole?
