CHAP. IV.

1 In what account the Ministers ought to bee had. 7 We haue nothing which wee haue not receiued. 9 The Apostles spectacles to the world, Angels and men, 13 The filth and off-scouring of the worlde: 15 Yet our fathers in Christ, 16 Whome wee ought to followe.

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

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² Moreouer, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithfull.

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³ But with mee it is a very small thing that I should bee iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: yea, I iudge not mine owne selfe.³

⁴ For I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I not hereby iustified: but hee that iudgeth me is the Lord.

⁵ Therefore iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall euery man haue prayse of God.⁵

⁶ And these things, brethren, I haue in a figure transferred to my selfe, and to Apollo, for your sakes: that ye might learne in vs not to thinke of men, aboue that which is written, that no one of you bee puffed vp for one against another.

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⁷ For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receiue? Now if thou didst receiue it, why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not receiued it?⁷

⁸ Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye haue reigned as kings without vs, and I would to God ye did reigne, that we also might reigne with you.

⁹ For I thinke that God hath set forth vs the Apostles last, as it were approued to death. For wee are made a spectacle vnto the world, and to Angels, and to men.⁹

¹⁰ We are fooles for Christs sake, but ye are wise in Christ. We are weake, but ye are strong: yee are honourable, but we are despised.

¹¹ Euen vnto this present houre we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and haue no certaine dwelling place,

¹² And labour, working with our owne hands: being reuiled, wee blesse: being persecuted, we suffer it:¹²

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¹³ Being defamed, we intreate: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things vnto this day.¹³

¹⁴ I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloued sonnes I warne you.

¹⁵ For though you haue ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet haue yee not many fathers: For in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospel.

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¹⁶ Wherefore I beseech you, be yee followers of me.

¹⁷ For this cause haue I sent vnto you Timotheus, who is my beloued sonne, and faithfull in the Lord, who shal bring you into remembrance of my wayes which be in Christ, as I teach euery where in euery Church.

¹⁸ Nowe some are puffed vp as though I would not come to you.

¹⁹ But I wil come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will knowe, not the speach of them which are puffed vp, but the power.¹⁹

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

²¹ What will ye? Shall I come vnto you with a rod, or in loue, and in the spirit of meekenesse?