1 LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, [ The original word used here is very interesting, it is "wv uphretav cristou". The word uphrethv means an under-rower, or one, who, in the oar-powered warship galleys, rowed in one of the undermost benches or galleys, some were 3 (trireme), 4 (quadrireme) and 5 (quinquereme) rows high or banks or rowers; but it means also, as used by the Greek writers, any inferior officer or assistant. So Pauls suggests to the Corinthians that, far from being heads and chiefs, he and his fellow apostles considered themselves only as inferior officers, employed under Christ from whom alone they received their appointment their work, and their recompense. ] , 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. [ But rather will leave that judgement to God. ] .

4  For I know nothing by myself; [ "ouden gar emautw sunoida?" I am not aware that I am guilty of any evil, or have neglected to fulfill faithfully my duty. ] ; yet am I not hereby justified: [ But just because I am not aware of something does not mean that I am perfect before God. This is a gentle repremand by Paul to those at Corinth who are casting judgement on others. THat we all are with sin, none is perfect and none of us are to judge. ] 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, [ That which he has written 1 Cor. 3:5 "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?" ] , 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? [ Paul is most likely address one of those puffed up teachers, and Paul says to him well what makes you so special. Where did you get your knowledge from anyway? Who taught you in the first place? You received the Gospel from Paul just like everyone here did, so to puff yourself up, to think that you are special or that you have any special knowledge is not true. So come off your high horse. ] 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, [ of secular wisdom, full of yourselves. ] , now ye are rich, [ Those at Corinth prospered very well in the things of the world since it was a city of great commerce. ] , 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: [ This phrase would suggest that Paul might be referring to the Roman spectacles. The first battles of the day were between man and beast. During these battles the gladiators were allowed to were full armour. However in the last or noon-day spectacles the gladiators were brought to the arena naked. This in other words is their last appearance, as it was a fight to the death. They were naked without anything to defend themselves but their sword, so every blow inflicted some sort of injury. The one gladiator that did escape for the day would be brought back to defend himself on another day until eventually he would meet his death too. ] for we are made a spectacle unto the world, [ "Æoti qeatron egenhqhmen", We are exhibited on the theater to the world just as are the gladiators. ] , and to angels, and to men.

10  We are fools for Christ’s sake, [ We are public spectacles because of our belief. We are scoffed at, hissed at and mocked just as the gladiators were simply because we believe.] 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; [ Suggesting here is a great sacrifice that comes with being an apostle. ]

12 And labour, working with our own hands: [ They laboured with their own hands for their necessities of life. ] being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

13  Being defamed, [ "blasfhmoumenoi", Being blasphemed or spoken of in a manner to injure. ] , we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring [ "periyhma" a redemption sacrifice. To understand the full force of these words, as applied by the apostle in this place, we must observe that he alludes to certain customs among the heathens, who, in the time of some public calamity, chose out some unhappy men of the most abject and despicable character to be a public expiation for them; these they maintained a whole year at the public expense; and then they led them out, crowned with flowers, as was customary in sacrifices; and, having heaped all the curses of the country upon their heads, and whipped them seven times, they burned them alive, and afterwards their ashes were thrown into the sea, while the people said these words: periyhmahmwn ginou, be thou our propitiation. ] of all things unto this day.

14  I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. [ Pauls suggests that it is not what he wants to do, but he knows if he truely loves them then he must help them back on the right path or they will be lost. When we love others in a Gospel sence how does it change us? ]

15  For though ye have ten thousand instructors ["Μυριους παιδαγωγους", Myriads of leaders, that is, an indefinite multitude; for so the word is often used. The "παιδαγωγος", from which we have our word pedagogue, which we improperly apply to a school master, was among the Greeks, the person or servant who attended a child, had the general care of him, and who led him to school for the purpose of being instructed by the διδασκαλος, or teacher. It seems there were many at Corinth who offered their services to instruct this people, and who were not well affected towards the apostle.] in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: [ or Many offer to instruct you who have no parental feeling for you; and how can they? you are not their spiritual children. However the relationship with and to Paul is different. ] for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. [ "μιμηται", from which we have our word mimic, which, though now used only in a bad or ludicrous sense, simply signifies an imitator of another person, whether in speech, manner, habit, or otherwise. It should rather be translated, Be ye imitators of me. ] .

17  For this cause [ that you may become my followers, that you might immitate (Christ) ] 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, [ some of the church leaders became proud haughty and considered themselves safe because they thought that Paul would never come visit them in Corinth. ] , 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. [ And when I do come I will put these men who are puffed up to the test. Not the test of seeing how well they speak, or the eloquence in it, but rather the power that they posess from God as is evidenced by the works that they have and are performing. See D&C 84:20-21 ]

20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. [ See D&C 84:20-21 ] .

21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? [ Here he alludes to the case of the teacher and father, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 4:15. Shall I come to you with the authority of a teacher, and use the rod of discipline? or shall I come in the tenderness of a father, and entreat you to do what I have authority to enforce? Among the Jews, those who did not amend, after being faithfully admonished, were whipped, either publicly or privately, in the synagogue. If on this they did not amend, they were liable to be stoned. We see, from the cases of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas the sorcerer, Hymenaeus and Alexander, etc., that the apostles had sometimes the power to inflict the most awful punishments on transgressors. The Corinthians must have known this, and consequently have dreaded a visit from him in his apostolical authority. That there were many irregularities in this Church, which required both the presence and authority of the apostle, we shall see in the subsequent chapters. ]