1. You should think of us as Christ's servants, who have been put in charge of God's secret truths.
2. The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master.
3. Now, I am not at all concerned about being judged by you or by any human standard; I don't even pass judgement on myself.
4. My conscience is clear, but that does not prove that I am really innocent. The Lord is the one who passes judgement on me.
5. So you should not pass judgement on anyone before the right time comes. Final judgement must wait until the Lord comes; he will bring to light the dark secrets and expose the hidden purposes of people's minds. And then all will receive from God the praise they deserve.
6. For your sake, my brothers and sisters, I have applied all this to Apollos and me, using the two of us as an example, so that you may learn what the saying means, “Observe the proper rules.” None of you should be proud of one person and despise another.
7. Who made you superior to others? Didn't God give you everything you have? Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift?