1 Corinthians 4: Faithful Servants

Paul says he and the other apostles are servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries, and stewards must be found faithful. Only the Lord can judge the heart, so the Corinthians should not judge before the time. Paul gently corrects their pride by describing the hard life of the apostles, who bless when cursed and endure when mistreated. He writes as a loving father to his children, urges them to imitate him, and sends Timothy to remind them of his ways in Christ.

Go to worksheets ↓

Bible:

Read 1 Corinthians 4

World English Bible · 21 verses

¹ So let a man think of us as Christ’s servants and stewards of God’s mysteries.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by a human court. Yes, I don’t even judge my own self.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ Now these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you!This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ I don’t write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ I beg you therefore, be imitators of me.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ Because of this I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every assembly.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing. And I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

1Pick a grade below
2Look over the worksheet
3Tap Print worksheet. Print the answer key separately.

Pick a grade:

Answer key (print separately)More print options ↓

Open Preschool on its own page

1 Corinthians 4 · Preschool

Be Faithful

Name Date

Color the helper carrying the basket. God wants faithful helpers!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

1 Corinthians 4:2 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: A faithful helper does what he is asked, every time. Let's ask God to help us be faithful.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

1 Corinthians 4 · Grade 4

Stewards of God's Mysteries

Name Date

Read and Think

A steward in Paul's day managed a household for its owner. Paul says he and Apollos are stewards of God's mysteries, the truths about Christ. The one thing a steward needs is to be found faithful. Paul did not worry much about how the Corinthians judged him. The Lord is the judge, and He will reveal the hidden things of the heart.

Some Corinthians were puffed up, acting as if they had already arrived. Paul asks a sharp question: is there anything a person has that was not received from God? Every gift comes from God, so there is no room for boasting.

Paul compares their comfort with the apostles' hard life. The apostles were hungry, thirsty, and poorly clothed. They toiled with their own hands. When cursed, they blessed. When mistreated, they endured. Paul writes not to shame them but as a loving father. He urges them to imitate him and sends Timothy to help.

Show What You Know

What did a steward do in Paul's day?
Who will reveal the hidden things of the heart?
Why is there no room for boasting?
How did the apostles respond when cursed?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

faithfulpuffedGodjudge

The one thing a steward needs is to be found .
The Lord is the , and He will reveal the hidden things of the heart.
Some Corinthians were up, acting as if they had already arrived.
Paul asks a sharp question: is there anything a person has that was not received from ?

Think About It

Paul says every gift we have was received from God. What gifts has God given you, and how can you use them humbly?
The apostles blessed people who cursed them. How can you respond with kindness when someone is unkind to you?

Memory Verse

“Here, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

1 Corinthians 4:2 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for trusting me with good work. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

What gifts have you received from God?
Why did Paul write as a father?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

1 Corinthians 4 · Grade 5

Fools for Christ's Sake

Name Date

Read and Think

Having corrected the Corinthians' view of leaders, Paul defines his role. He is a servant of Christ and a steward of God's mysteries. Faithfulness, not popularity or eloquence, is the measure of a steward. Paul refuses to be anxious about human verdicts, even his own self-assessment, because the Lord is the true judge. When the Lord comes, he will bring to light what is hidden and reveal the motives of hearts, and each person will receive praise from God.

Paul then confronts their arrogance with irony. They act as though they are already filled, rich, and reigning, as if God's kingdom had fully arrived for them. His searching question cuts to the heart of pride: is there anything a person has that was not received from God? If everything is a gift, boasting is absurd.

By contrast, the apostles look like the last act in a public spectacle. They are fools for Christ's sake, weak, dishonored, hungry, thirsty, and homeless, working with their own hands. Yet their response models the way of Jesus: they bless when cursed, endure when persecuted, and answer gently when slandered. Paul closes with a father's tenderness, urging them to imitate him and sending Timothy, his faithful child in the Lord, to remind them of his ways in Christ.

Show What You Know

Why does Paul refuse to be anxious about human verdicts?
What point does Paul's question about receiving make?
How do the apostles respond to mistreatment?
In what spirit does Paul write his correction?

Crossword

Across

But if you did ____ it
Now some are ____ up

Down

It is required of ____ that they be found faithful
I don’t even ____ my own self
Who is my beloved and ____ child in the Lord

Think About It

Paul measures a servant by faithfulness rather than popularity. How might that standard change the way you serve at home or at church?
The apostles were willing to look foolish for Christ. In what situations might following Jesus make you look foolish to others, and how can you stay faithful?

Memory Verse

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.”

1 Corinthians 4:5 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for trusting me with good work. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Why is faithfulness better than popularity?
What gift from God are you most thankful for?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

More print options

Student sheets have no answers on them. The answer key is a separate document for teachers and parents.

This gradeOnly the Preschool sheet

Whole chapterEvery verse of the chapter, in the translation you pickOpen & print

All student sheetsEvery grade, preschool to grade 5Open & print

Answer keyAll grades in one, each grade labeledOpen & print

‹ All 1 Corinthians chapters · All books

1 Corinthians 4: Faithful Servants

Read 1 Corinthians 4

Worksheets

Be Faithful

Prayer

Take It Home

Faithful Helpers

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Paul's Children

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Faithful Servants

Prayer

Take It Home

Be a Faithful Helper

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Found Faithful

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Faithful Servants

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Stewards of God's Mysteries

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Fools for Christ's Sake

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options