Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the word of the cross is (A)folly to (B)those who are perishing, but to us (C)who are being saved it is (D)the power of God. 19 For it is written,

(E)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 (F)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? (G)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[a] to save those who believe. 22 For (H)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ (I)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (J)the power of God and (K)the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: (L)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But (M)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; (N)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even (O)things that are not, to (P)bring to nothing things that are, 29 so (Q)that no human being[c] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (R)wisdom from God, (S)righteousness and (T)sanctification and (U)redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, (V)“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

And I, when I came to you, brothers,[e] (W)did not come proclaiming to you (X)the testimony[f] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except (Y)Jesus Christ and him crucified. And (Z)I was with you (AA)in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of (AB)the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men[g] but (AC)in the power of God.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts mystery (or secret)
  7. 1 Corinthians 2:5 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women

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