1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ–their Lord and ours:
1:3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
1:5 For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge–
1:6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
1:7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
1:8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1:11 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
1:12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
1:13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
1:14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
1:15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
1:16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.)
1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1:19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
1:22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
1:23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
1:24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
1:26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
1:28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are,
1:29 so that no one may boast before him.
1:30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
1:31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
1:1 Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
1:2 To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints, with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours:
1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I thank my God always concerning you based upon the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus,
1:5 That in everything you were enriched in Him, in all utterance and all knowledge,
1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
1:7 So that you do not lack in any gift, eagerly awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1:8 Who will also confirm you until the end unreprovable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1:10 Now I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion.
1:11 For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of the household of Chloe, that there are strifes among you.
1:12 Now I mean this, that each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.
1:13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
1:15 That no one may say that you were baptized into my name.
1:16 And I did baptize the household of Stephanas also; beyond that I do not know if I baptized any other.
1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to announce the gospel, not in wisdom of speech that the cross of Christ may not be made void.
1:18 For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of those who understand I will set aside.
1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was well pleased through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.
1:22 For indeed Jews require signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness,
1:24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1:26 For consider your calling, brothers, that there are not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many wellborn.
1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world that He might shame those who are wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might shame the things that are strong,
1:28 And the lowborn things of the world and the despised things God has chosen, things which are not, that He might bring to nought the things which are,
1:29 So that no flesh may boast before God.
1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1:31 That as it is written, He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.