³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(A) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(B) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^(C)

¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;^(A) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^(B)

³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(A) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?^(A)

¹⁵ so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Yes, I also baptized the household^(A) of Stephanas;^(B) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize,^(C) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom^(D) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

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

²⁰ Where is the wise person?^(J) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?^(K) Has not God made foolish^(L) the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world^(M) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^(N) those who believe.^{(O) 22} Jews demand signs^(P) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified:^(Q) a stumbling block^(R) to Jews and foolishness^(S) to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called,^(T) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(U) and the wisdom of God.^{(V) 25} For the foolishness^(W) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(X) of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(Y) Not many of you were wise^(Z) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose^(AA) the foolish^(AB) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(AC)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.^{(AD) 30} It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,^(AE) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,^(AF) holiness^(AG) and redemption.^{(AH) 31} Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[b](AI)

²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(A) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^(B)