1 Corinthians 1:18-3:23

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.^{(A) 19} For it is written:

²⁰ Where is the philosopher?^[b] Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?^(C) Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? ²¹ For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. ²² For the Jews ask for signs^(D) and the Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified,^(E) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.^{[c] 24} Yet to those who are called,^(F) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, ²⁵ because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Boasting Only in the Lord

²⁶ Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective,^[d] not many powerful,^(G) not many of noble birth. ²⁷ Instead, God has chosen^(H) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world^(I)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, ²⁹ so that no one^[e] can boast in His presence.^{(J) 30} But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness,^(K) sanctification,^(L) and redemption,^{(M) 31} in order that, as it is written:^(N) The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.^(O)[f]

Paul’s Proclamation

2 When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony^[g] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance^(P) of speech^(Q) or wisdom. ² For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.^{(R) 3} I came to you in weakness,^(S) in fear,^(T) and in much trembling.^{(U) 4} My speech^(V) and my proclamation were not with persuasive^(W) words of wisdom^[h] but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, ⁵ so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.^(X)

Spiritual Wisdom

⁶ However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature,^(Y) but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers^(Z) of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(AA) 7} On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined^(AB) before the ages for our glory.^{(AC) 8} None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(AD) 9} But as it is written:

¹⁰ Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything,^(AF) even the depths of God.^{(AG) 11} For who among men knows the thoughts^[j] of a man except the spirit^(AH) of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows^(AI) the thoughts^[k] of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. ¹³ We also speak these things, not in words^(AJ) taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.^{[l] 14} But the unbeliever^[m] does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated^[n] spiritually. ¹⁵ The spiritual person, however, can evaluate^[o] everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated^[p] by anyone. ¹⁶ For

But we have the mind of Christ.^(AL)

The Problem of Immaturity

3 Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.^{(AM) 2} I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, ³ because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy^(AN) and strife^[r](AO) among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers?^{[s] 4} For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,”^(AP) are you not unspiritual people?^[t][u]

The Role of God’s Servants

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. ⁶ I planted,^(AQ) Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s coworkers.^[v] You are God’s field, God’s building.^{(AR) 10} According to God’s grace that was given to me, I have laid a foundation as a skilled master builder, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation^(AS) than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on that foundation with gold, silver,^(AT) costly stones,^(AU) wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become obvious, for the day^[w] will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire;^(AV) the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.^{(AW) 14} If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved;^(AX) yet it will be like an escape through fire.^[x](AY)

¹⁶ Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary^(AZ) and that the Spirit of God lives in you?^{(BA) 17} If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him;^(BB) for God’s sanctuary is holy,^(BC) and that is what you are.

The Folly of Human Wisdom

¹⁸ No one should deceive^(BD) himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age,^(BE) he must become foolish^(BF) so that he can become wise.^{(BG) 19} For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(BH) with God, since it is written:^(BI) He catches the wise in their craftiness;^{(BJ)[y] 20} and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings^(BK) of the wise are meaningless.^{(BL)[z] 21} So no one should boast in human leaders, for everything is yours^(BM)— ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas^(BN) or the world or life^(BO) or death^(BP) or things present or things to come^(BQ)—everything is yours, ²³ and you belong to Christ,^(BR) and Christ belongs to God.