1 Corinthians 1:5-25

English Standard Version

⁵ that in every way ^(A)you were enriched in him in all ^(B)speech and all knowledge— ⁶ even as ^(C)the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you ^(D)wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^8 (E)who will sustain you to the end, ^(F)guiltless ^(G)in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^9 (H)God is faithful, by whom you were called into the ^(I)fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers,^[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no ^(J)divisions among you, but that you be united ^(K)in the same mind and the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is ^(L)quarreling among you, my brothers. ¹² What I mean is that ^(M)each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow ^(N)Apollos,” or “I follow ^(O)Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” ^13 (P)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you ^(Q)baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except ^(R)Crispus and ^(S)Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (I did baptize also ^(T)the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and ^(U)not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is ^(V)folly to ^(W)those who are perishing, but to us ^(X)who are being saved it is ^(Y)the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

^20 (AA)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? ^(AB)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^[b] to save those who believe. ²² For ^(AC)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ ^(AD)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(AE)the power of God and ^(AF)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.