I Corinthians 4

¹ Let¹ [a] man thus reckon us, as officers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover it is sought in stewards that one be found trustworthy. ³ But with me it is [the] least [thing] that I be appraised by you or by man's count, but neither do I appraise myself. ⁴ For I am conscious of nothing in myself, but not in this am I justified, but the [one] appraising me is [the] Lord. ⁵ So be judging nothing before [the] opportune-time² , until the Lord come, who will also illuminate the secret [things] of darkness and manifest the intentions of the hearts. And then the praise will come to pass to each [one] from God. ⁶ And these [things], brothers, I have applied to myself and Apollo on your account, in order that you learn among you the [thing] not above what is written, in order that you not be being puffed up above the other against the other. ⁷ For who differentiates you? And what do you have which you did not receive? And if you indeed received, why boast as though not having received? ⁸ You are already full, you are already rich, without us you had reigned [as kings], and O that you did reign, in order that we also reign with you.

⁹ For I suppose [that] God has displayed us apostles last, as condemned to death, that we become [a] spectacle to the world and to [the] angels and to men. ¹⁰ We [are] fools on account of Christ, but you [are] prudent in Christ. We [are] weak, but you [are] strong. You are distinguished, but we are dishonored. ¹¹ Even until this present hour we hunger and thirst, and are naked and are beaten and homeless, ¹² and labor working with our own hands. Being reviled we bless, being persecuted we bear [it], ¹³ being defamed we exhort, we have become as [the] garbage of the world, and [we are] the scum of everything until now. ¹⁴ Not shaming you do I write these [things], but as admonishing my agape-beloved children. ¹⁵ For you have innumerable instructors in Christ, but not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus through the good-news have I begotten you. ¹⁶ I therefore call upon you, be becoming imitators of me. ¹⁷ Because of this same [thing] have I sent Timothy to you, who is my agape-beloved child and trustworthy in [the] Lord, who will remind you of my ways [which are] in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every assembly³ . ¹⁸ Now as though I [am] not coming are some [of you] puffed up, ¹⁹ But I will come swiftly to you, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the word of [those] puffed up, but their power. ²⁰ For not in word [is] the kingdom of God, but in power. ²¹ What do you want? Should I come to you with [a] rod, or in agape-love and in [the] spirit of gentleness?

¹imperative

²KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'

³EKKLESIA (εκκλησια) from "called out". Appears 114 times in the N.T., but only thrice in the Gospels ( Matt.16:18 (twice) and Matt.18:17). It's worth noting that when Jesus uses the term EKKLESIA, Christian community as we know it didn't yet exist—there were only the disciples. EKKLESIA is apparently different from 'synagogue' (SYNAGOGE (συναγωγη) which occurs 56 times in the N.T.) EKKLESIA is used in secular Greek literature of a popular assembly 'called to assemble', and also of those 'called' to a cult. EKKLESIA is used frequently in the N.T. outside of the Gospels to refer to Christian communities, but in Acts.7:38 it is used of the people of Israel led through the desert by Moses, and in Acts.19:32 ff. of a secular assembly. Thus, all told, the common translation of EKKLESIA as 'church' doesn't really reflect 1st century usage—it seems to mean more like 'a group of people assembled for some specific purpose'. version 3.85.
On 08 Sep 2009, 19:29.