1Thus let a man regard us as of helpers of Christ, and managers of mysteries of God. 2And beyond that, it is sought in managers that any man should be found faithful. 3But it is a very small thing to me that I might be appraised by you or by a day of mankind. Yet neither do I appraise myself, 4for I know nothing on myself. Yet I have not been made righteous in this, but he who appraises me is the Lord. 5Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make public the deliberations of the hearts. And then praise will come to each man from God. 6Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other. 7For who makes thee different? And what have thou that thou did not receive? And also if thou received it, why do thou boast as not having received it? 8Already ye are filled. Already ye have become rich. Ye reigned without us, and O that ye did indeed reign, so that we also might reign with you. 9For I think God has exhibited us the apostles least, as men sentenced to die, because we became a spectacle to the world, both to agents and to men. 10We are foolish for the sake of Christ, but ye are wise in Christ. We are weak, but ye are strong. Ye are esteemed, but we are disreputable. 11As far as the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are ill clothed, and are treated roughly, and are homeless. 12And we toil, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13being slandered, we entreat. We became as trash of the world, an offscouring of all things, until now. 14I do not write these things shaming you, but I warn you as my beloved children. 15For though ye have countless instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the good news. 16I beseech you therefore, become followers of me. 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, just as I teach everywhere in every congregation. 18But as of me not coming to you, some men are puffed up. 19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord should will, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. 20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21What do ye want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness?