1 Corinthians 4:4
New International Version
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

New Living Translation
My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

English Standard Version
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

Berean Standard Bible
My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

Berean Literal Bible
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I have not been justified by this; but the One judging me is the Lord.

King James Bible
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

New King James Version
For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

New American Standard Bible
For I am not aware of anything against myself; however I am not vindicated by this, but the one who examines me is the Lord.

NASB 1995
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.

NASB 1977
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.

Legacy Standard Bible
For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted. But the one who examines me is the Lord.

Amplified Bible
I am aware of nothing against myself and I feel blameless, but I am not by this acquitted [before God]. It is the Lord who judges me.

Christian Standard Bible
For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. The One who evaluates me is the Lord.

American Standard Version
For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For I am not troubled over anything in myself, but I am not justified by this, for my judge is THE LORD JEHOVAH.

Contemporary English Version
I don't know of anything against me, but this doesn't prove I am right. The Lord is my judge.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For I am not conscious to myself of any thing, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me, is the Lord.

English Revised Version
For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I have a clear conscience, but that doesn't mean I have God's approval. It is the Lord who cross-examines me.

Good News Translation
My conscience is clear, but that does not prove that I am really innocent. The Lord is the one who passes judgment on me.

International Standard Version
For my conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who examines me.

Literal Standard Version
for I have been conscious of nothing for myself, but I have not been declared right in this—and He who is discerning me is the LORD:

Majority Standard Bible
My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me.

New American Bible
I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord.

NET Bible
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges me is the Lord.

New Revised Standard Version
I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

New Heart English Bible
For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Webster's Bible Translation
For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Weymouth New Testament
Though I am not conscious of having been in any way unfaithful, yet I do not for that reason stand acquitted; but He whose scrutiny I must undergo is the Lord.

World English Bible
For I know nothing against myself. Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.

Young's Literal Translation
for of nothing to myself have I been conscious, but not in this have I been declared right -- and he who is discerning me is the Lord:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Servants of Christ
3I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not vindicate me. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.…

Cross References
Psalm 143:2
Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.

Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler's favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.

Acts 23:1
Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, "Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day."

Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

1 Corinthians 4:3
I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

2 Corinthians 1:12
And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God--not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.


Treasury of Scripture

For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord.

For.

I know.

Job 27:6
My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Psalm 7:3-5
O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; …

John 21:17
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

yet.

Job 9:2,3,20
I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? …

Job 15:14
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

Job 25:4
How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

but.

1 Corinthians 4:5
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.

Psalm 26:12
My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

Psalm 50:6
And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

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Acquitted Aware Clear Conscience Conscious Declared Discerning Examines Hereby Innocent Judges Judgeth Justified Reason Right Scrutiny Stand Thereby Undergo Unfaithful Way Wrong
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Acquitted Aware Clear Conscience Conscious Declared Discerning Examines Hereby Innocent Judges Judgeth Justified Reason Right Scrutiny Stand Thereby Undergo Unfaithful Way Wrong
1 Corinthians 4
1. In what account the apostles ought to be regarded.
7. We have nothing which we have not received.
9. The apostles spectacles to the world, angels, and men;
13. the filth and offscouring of the world;
15. yet our fathers in Christ;
16. whom we ought to follow.














(4) For I know nothing by myself.--The general meaning of this passage is given in the previous Note. The Greek of the words rendered, "I know nothing of myself," is clearly "I am not conscious in myself" of having been unfaithful; the word being almost invariably used in classical Greek in a bad sense. In the English version the word "by" is used in a sense now nearly obsolete. To an English reader the passage at first sight seems to assert that St. Paul of his own power possessed no knowledge. In old English, however, the word "by" meant (not necessarily the instrument by which) frequently "in connection with" or "concerning." In this sense it is found in Deuteronomy 27:16; Ezekiel 22:7. In Foxe's Book of Martyrs a woman under examination is accused of having "spoken evil words by the queen." It is still common to speak of our place being "by" (i.e., in close contiguity to) another, and a "bye- lane" is a passage connected with a thoroughfare. The word "by" does not seem to have had necessarily the meaning of "against" which some have attributed to it; the sense of "concerning" would suit all the passages given above better than "against."

Verse 4. - I know nothing by myself; rather, nothing against myself. The phrase of the Authorized Version originally meant this, but is now obsolete in this sense. "I am sorry that each fault can be proved by the queen," says Cranmer to Henry VIII. It is like the Latin Nil conscire sibi. The same phrase occurs in the LXX. of Job 27:6. St. Paul says, "The verdict of my own conscience acquits me of all intentional unfaithfulness;" but this is insufficient, because God sees with clearer eyes than ours. "Who can understand his errors?" asks the psalmist (Psalm 19:12); and the "secret faults" against which he prays are not hidden vices, but sins of which he was himself unconscious. It must be remembered that St. Paul is here only speaking with conscious integrity of his ministerial work. Nothing could have been further from the mind of one who elsewhere calls himself" the chief of sinners" than to claim an absolute immunity from every form of self reproach. They who claim immaculate holiness can as little quote the sanction of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 3:13, etc.) as of any other saint. The confessions of the holiest are ever the most humble. Yet am I not hereby justified. Because "every way of a man" is apt to be "right in his own eyes," but God pondereth the hearts, and therefore in God's sight "no man living is justified." St. Paul is here using the word in its legal rather than its theological sense. He that judgeth me is the Lord. This is a reason for serious awe and deep self searching of heart (Psalm 130:3; Job 9:2). Yet also for hope and confidence when a man can, like the modern statesman, "look from the storm without to the sunshine of an approving conscience within." For God, being "greater than our hearts" (1 John 3:21), may count "the long 'yes' of life" against the one "no," or the single faithless minute. Knowing whereof we are made, remembering that we are but dust, he looks on us

"With larger other eyes than ours,
To make allowance for us all."


Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
My conscience is clear,
σύνοιδα (synoida)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4894: To know, consider, be privy to.

but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

that
τούτῳ (toutō)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

does not vindicate me.
δεδικαίωμαι (dedikaiōmai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1344: From dikaios; to render just or innocent.

It is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[the] Lord
Κύριός (Kyrios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

who
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

judges
ἀνακρίνων (anakrinōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 350: From ana and krino; properly, to scrutinize, i.e. investigate, interrogate, determine.

me.
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 4:4 For I know nothing against myself (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 4:3
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