(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Judging and being judged
- Let any man consider us like this: as servants of the Anointed and stewards of God’s mysteries.
- Furthermore, in this case it’s required that someone among the stewards should be found faithful.
- But to me, it’s a most trivial thing that I’m examined by you, or by a human court. But I don’t examine myself either,
- for I have been aware of nothing against myself, but I haven’t been made righteous by this, yet the One who examines me is the Lord.
- So then, don’t judge anything before the proper time – until the Lord comes – who will also reveal the hidden things of darkness and will expose the plans1“plans”, The Greek word here could also be translated “motives”, “counsel”, “purposes”, etc. of their hearts. And then appropriate praise will come to each from God.
Don’t go beyond what’s written
- And brothers, I applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, so that in us you might learn not to go beyond what is *written; so not even one of you are puffed up, favoring one over another.
- For who considers you better? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you received it, why do you boast like you didn’t receive it?
- You already are *satisfied. You were already rich. You reigned without us, and I wish you really did reign so we might also reign with you.
- For I think that God displayed us (the apostles) last as proof,2“displayed… …as proof” is one word in Greek. It means to prove that something is what it appears to be, like men about to die,3“about to die” is one word in Greek, which could also be translated “condemned to death”. because we became a spectacle4“spectacle” The Greek word here is “θέατρον” (theatron), which both means “theater” and is the root of our English word “theater”. It can also mean a “spectacle”, like one would see in a theater. to the world, to both angels and men.
- We’re foolish for the Anointed, but you’re prudent in the Anointed. We’re weak, but you’re strong. You’re greatly honored, but we’re without honor.
- Up to this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are poorly clothed, and are beaten5“beaten” This Greek word specifically refers to being struck with a closed fist; i.e. “punched”, and wander without a home,
- and we exhaust ourselves working with our own hands. Being insulted, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;
- being slandered, we encourage. We became like the scum of the world, like all scraped-off refuse6“scraped-off refuse” is one word in Greek. It properly refers the filth or scum that you scrape off while cleaning. It also metaphorically referred to men of despicable character. until now.
- I’m not shaming you by writing these things, but admonishing you as my beloved children.
- For even if you have ten-thousand7“ten thousand” this Greek word was also to indicate “countless”, so that would also be an accurate translation here. tutors8“tutors” is one word in Greek. It refers to a legally appointed instructor who had charge over a boy, and especially his moral development. It was usually a slave and typically the boy couldn’t even leave the house without this tutor’s permission. in the Anointed, nevertheless you don’t have many fathers, for I fathered you in Jesus the Anointed through the gospel.
- Therefore I urge you: become imitators of me.
- Because 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 Jesus the Anointed, just like I teach everywhere, in every church.
- But some of you were puffed up like I’m not coming to you.
- But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord wills. And I will know; not the word of the men who have been puffed up, but the power.
- For the kingdom of God isn’t in word, but in power.
- What do you wish? That I come to you with a rod? Or in ^love and a spirit of gentle strength?9“gentle strength” is one word in Greek. It comes from the root “pra-” which is typically translated “meek”. It more accurately refers to power that’s exercised gently, without harshness. Our English word “meek” lacks the Greeks word’s blend of gentleness, reserve, and strength.
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