15 We who are powerful need to be patient with the weakness of those who don’t have power, and not please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good in order to build them up. ³ Christ didn’t please himself, but, as it is written, The insults of those who insulted you fell on me.^{[a] 4} Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures.

²⁶ Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. ²⁷ But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. ²⁸ And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. ²⁹ So no human being can brag in God’s presence. ³⁰ It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us. ³¹ This is consistent with what was written: The one who brags should brag in the Lord!^[a]