1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and ⁿstewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 ^oFor I am not aware of anything against myself, ^pbut I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore ^qdo not pronounce judgment before the time, ^rbefore the Lord comes, ^swho will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. ^tThen each one will receive his commendation from God.

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers,¹ that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may ^ube puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? ^vWhat do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! 9 For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, ^wlike men sentenced to death, because we ^xhave become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 ^yWe are fools for Christ’s sake, but ^zyou are wise in Christ. ^aWe are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour ^bwe hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and ^cbuffeted and ^dhomeless, 12 and we ^elabor, working with our own hands. ^fWhen reviled, we bless; ^gwhen persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. ^hWe have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, ⁱthe refuse of all things.

14 I do not write these things ^jto make you ashamed, but to admonish you ^kas my beloved children. 15 For ^lthough you have countless² guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For ^mI became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, ⁿbe imitators of me. 17 That is why ^oI sent³ you Timothy, ^pmy beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,^{4 q}as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are ^rarrogant, ^sas though I were not coming to you. 19 But ^tI will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For ^uthe kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? ^vShall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?

1 Now concerning^{1 m}food offered to idols: we know that ⁿ“all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” ^opuffs up, ^pbut love builds up. 2 ^qIf anyone imagines that he knows something, ^rhe does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, ^she is known by God.²

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^t“an idol has no real existence,” and that ^u“there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be ^vso-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet ^wfor us there is one God, the Father, ^xfrom whom are all things and for whom we exist, and ^yone Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and ^zthrough whom we exist.

7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^athrough former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^btheir conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 ^cFood will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care ^dthat this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block ^eto the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating³ in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged,⁴ if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^fdestroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers⁵ and ^gwounding their conscience when it is weak, ^hyou sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, ⁱif food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.