Christ’s ministers must be faithful—The apostles suffer, minister, keep the faith—The kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

1 - Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 - Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

3 - But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 - For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

6 - And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

7 - For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

8 - Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

9 - For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

10 - We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 - Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

12 - And labour, working with our own hands : being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13 - Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

14 - I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

15 - For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 - Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

17 - For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

18 - Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

19 - But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

20 - For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

21 - What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness ?