1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians · Chapter 4

1 Corinthians 4:3

1Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.2Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.3But 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.4For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.5Therefore 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.6And 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.7For 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?8Now 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.9For 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.10We 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.11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;12And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:13Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.14I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.15For 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.16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.17For 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.18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.19But 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.20For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.21What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
3But 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.I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.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.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
Me myselfἐμοὶemoiG1473
I/we

ἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). …

howeverδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

toεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

[the] smallest matterἐλάχιστόνelachistonG1646
least

ἐλάχιστος (elachistos) ἐλάχιστος, -η, -ον (see: ἐλάσσων), smallest, least: as proper superlat., 1Co.15:9; elsewhere, as usually in late Gk., intensive (B1., § 11, 3); Mat.2:6 (LXX) Mat.25:40, 45 Luk.12:26 16:10 19:17, 1Co.4:3 6:2, Jas.3:4; ἐ. ἐν τ. βασιλείᾳ τ. οὐρανῶν, Mat.5:19 (see Dalman, Words, 113). Compar., ἐλαχιστότερος (for corresp. superl., see LS; see also Bl., § 44, 3); less than the least: Eph.3:8.† (AS)

it isἐστινestinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

thatἵναinaG2443
in order that/to

ἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); …

byὑφ᾽huph᾽G5259G
by/under: by

ὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative …

youὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

I may be examinedἀνακριθῶanakrithōG0350
to investigate

ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō) ἀνα-κρίνω [in LXX: 1Ki.20:12 (חָקַר), Dan LXX Su 1:13, LXX, TH Su 1:48, 51 * ;] to examine, investigate, question (Lft., Notes, 181 f.): Act.17:11, 1Co.2:14-15 4:3-4 9:3 10:25 10:27 14:24; in forensic sense (MM, VGT, see word; esp. of examination by torture; see Field, Notes, 120 f.), Luk.23:14, Act.4:9 12:19 24:8 28:18.† SYN.: see: ἐξετάζω (AS)

orἢēG2228
or

ἤ (ē) ἤ, disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11); 1. disjunctive, or; (a) between single words: Mat.5:17 Mrk.6:56, Luk.2:24, Jhn.6:19, Rom.1:21, al.; (b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, frequently in interrog. form: Mat.7:4, 9 Mrk.12:14, Luk.13:4, Rom.3:29 6:3 9:21, 1Co.6:9, 16 9:6, 2Co.11:7; ἤ . . . ἤ, either . . . or, Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Co.14:6; …

byὑπὸhupoG5259G
by/under: by

ὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative …

a humanἀνθρωπίνηςanthrōpinēsG0442
human

ἀνθρώπινος (anthrōpinos) ἀνθρώπινος, -η, ον (ἄνθρωπος), [in LXX for אָדָם, אֱנוֹשׁ ;] human, belonging to man: χεῖρες, Act.17:25; σοφία, 1Co.2:13; φύσις, Jas.3:7; κτίσις, 1Pe.2:13 (MM, VGT, see word); ἀ. ἡμέρα, opposite to ἡ ἡμ. (1Co.3:13, God's Judgment-Day), human judgment, 1Co.4:3 (see Lft., Notes, 198); πειρασμὸς ἀ., temptation such as man can bear (AV, such as is common to man, see Field, Notes, 175), 1Co.10:13; ἀνθρώπινον λέγω, I speak in human fashion, with words not properly weighed, Rom.6:19 (see Field, Notes, 156).† (AS)

court;ἡμέρας·hēmerasG2250
day

ἡμέρα (hēmera) ἡμέρα, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly (very freq.) for יוֹם ;] day; 1. as distinct from night: genitive ἡμέρας, by day (WM, §30, 11), Rev.21:25; ἡ. κ. νυκτός (ν. κ. ̔ἡ.), Act.9:24, 1Th.2:9, 2Th.3:8, Rev.4:8 (BL, §36, 13); ἡμέρας μέσης, at mid-day, Act.26:13; accusative durat., τ. ἡμέρας, Luk.21:37; ὅλην τὴν ἡ., Rom.8:36; ἐν ἡμέρα, Jhn.11:9, Rom.13:13; ἡμέρας ὁδός, a day's journey, Luk.2:44; ἡ. γίνεται, Lk 4:42 22:66; κλίνει, Luk.9:12, al.; metaphorically, Jhn.9:4, Rom.13:12, 1Th.5:4, 5 8, 2Pe.1:19. …

In factἀλλ᾽all᾽G0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

neitherοὐδὲoudeG3761
nor

οὐδέ (oude) οὐδέ, negative particle, related to μηδέ as οὐ to μή. I. As conjc., and not, also not, neither, nor: Mat.6:15, Luk.16:31, Rom.4:15, al.; οὐ . . . οὐδέ, Mat.5:15 10:24, Mrk.4:22, Luk.6:43, 44, Jhn.6:24, Act.2:27, Rom.2:28, al. (see Bl., §77, 10). II. As adv., not even: Mat.6:29, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:9, 1Co.5:1; οὐδὲ εἷς, Act.4:32, Rom.3:10" (LXX) . (AS)

myselfἐμαυτὸνemautonG1473
I/we

ἐγώ (egō) ἐγώ, genitive, etc., ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ (enclitic μου, μοι, με), pl. ἡμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς, of person(s) pron. I. (a) The nom. is usually emphatic, when expressed as subjc, as in Mat.3:11, Mrk.1:8, Luk.3:16, al. But often there is no apparent emphasis, as Mat.10:16, Jhn.10:17; ἰδοὺ ἐ. (= Heb. הִנֵּנִי, cf. 1Ki.3:8), Act.9:10; ἐ. (like Heb. אֲנִי), I am, Jhn.1:23 (LXX), Act.7:32 (LXX). …

do I examine.ἀνακρίνω.anakrinōG0350
to investigate

ἀνακρίνω (anakrinō) ἀνα-κρίνω [in LXX: 1Ki.20:12 (חָקַר), Dan LXX Su 1:13, LXX, TH Su 1:48, 51 * ;] to examine, investigate, question (Lft., Notes, 181 f.): Act.17:11, 1Co.2:14-15 4:3-4 9:3 10:25 10:27 14:24; in forensic sense (MM, VGT, see word; esp. of examination by torture; see Field, Notes, 120 f.), Luk.23:14, Act.4:9 12:19 24:8 28:18.† SYN.: see: ἐξετάζω (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.