1 This letter is from me, Paul. God chose me to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. That is what he wanted. Our Christian friend Sosthenes is with me here as I write to you.
2 I am sending this letter to you, the people of God's church in Corinth. God has made you clean because you belong to Christ Jesus. He has chosen you to be his special people. So you join together with all people everywhere who worship our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is their Lord, as he is our Lord.
3 I pray that God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, will continue to help you. I pray that they will give you peace in your minds.
4 I always thank God because of you. I thank him because he has been very kind to you. He has helped you like that because you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 As a result, God has given you all the things that you need. You are able to speak everything that he wants you to speak. You are able to understand everything that he wants you to know. 6 In that way, God has shown you that the message we told you about Christ is true. 7 As a result, God has given you every spiritual gift that you need. God has blessed you with those gifts as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to return. 8 God will also keep you safe and strong until the end. Then, on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns, you will not be guilty of anything wrong. 9 God always does what he has promised to do. He has chosen you to be friends with his Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Lord.
10 My Christian friends, I tell you this with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Please agree with each other. Do not become separate groups. Be united and think about things in the same way.’
11 Some people from Chloe's house have told me news about you. My friends, they say that you are quarrelling among yourselves. 12 It happens like this: One of you says, ‘I belong to Paul's group.’ Another person says, ‘I belong to Apollos's group.’ Another person says, ‘I belong to Peter's group.’ And another person says, ‘I belong to Christ's group.’
13 You should not speak like that! It seems that you are breaking Christ into several parts. I, Paul, did not die on a cross to save you. When they baptized you, it was not on my behalf. 14 I thank God that I myself did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 So none of you can say, ‘I belong to Paul's group because he baptized me.’ 16 (Now I remember that I also baptized Stephanas and his family. I cannot remember that I baptized anyone else.) 17 Christ did not send me to baptize people. But he did send me to tell God's good news to people. When I speak his message, I do not use clever words. It is Christ's death on the cross that has power to save people. I do not want to spoil that power with clever words.
18 Some people think that the message about Christ's death on the cross is silly. Those people are destroying themselves. But it is different for us, the people that God is saving. The message about the cross shows us God's power to save us.
19 It says in the Bible:
‘I, God, will destroy all the clever thoughts of wise people.
I will show that their clever ideas are useless.’ [ a ]
20 So the wise people in this world are not really important. The clever teachers of God's Law are not really important. People who know how to argue well are not really important. God has shown that the wise ideas that belong to this world have no value.
21 God himself is wise. He has decided that people cannot know him just because they are wise in their own way. Instead, God uses the message about Jesus to save people. That message may seem to be silly to some people. But when we tell it to people, God saves them if they believe it.
22 Jewish people want to see God do a miracle. Then they will listen. Gentile people want to listen to a message that has clever ideas. 23 But as for us, we tell people about how Christ died on a cross. That is a message that Jewish people refuse to accept as true. Gentile people think that it is a silly message. 24 But it is different for us whom God has called to come to him. Some of us are Jews, and some of us are Gentiles. For us, Christ shows God's great power. He shows how wise God is. 25 Christ's death on a cross may seem a silly thing for God to do. But really it shows that God is very wise. He is wiser than people with their clever ideas. Christ's death on a cross may seem to show that God is weak. But really he is stronger than any human power.
26 Christian friends, remember the time when God called you to come to him. Think about what you were like. Not many of you were clever or powerful in the way that people think is good. Not many of you belonged to important families. 27 Instead, God chose to use things that people think are silly. He did this so that clever people would be ashamed. Yes, God chose to use things that people think are weak. He did this so that powerful people would be ashamed. 28 God chose to use things that people think are useless. People who belong to this world do not like those things. They think that they have no value. God did this so that the things that seem important would become unimportant.
29 Because of all this, nobody can be proud of themselves in front of God. 30 It is because of God's work that you now belong to Christ Jesus. As a result of Christ's death on the cross, we share in God's wise plan. Because we belong to Christ, God makes us right with himself. He makes us his own special people. He makes us free from the power of sin.
31 Remember what is written in the Bible:
‘If you want to be proud about something,
be proud of what the Lord has done.’ [ b ]
1 Greetings from Paul. I was chosen to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. God chose me because that is what he wanted. Greetings also from Sosthenes, our brother in Christ.
2 To God’s church in Corinth, you who have been made holy because you belong to Christ Jesus. You were chosen to be God’s holy people together with all people everywhere who trust in the Lord [ a ] Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace that he has given you through Christ Jesus. 5 In him you have been blessed in every way. You have been blessed in all your speaking and all your knowledge. 6 This proves that what we told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. 8 He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame. 9 God is faithful. He is the one who has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg all of you to agree with each other. You should not be divided into different groups. Be completely joined together again with the same kind of thinking and the same purpose.
11 My brothers and sisters, some members of Chloe’s family told me that there are arguments among you. 12 This is what I mean: One of you says, “I follow Paul,” and someone else says, “I follow Apollos.” Another says, “I follow Peter,” [ b ] and someone else says, “I follow Christ.” 13 Christ cannot be divided into different groups. It wasn’t Paul who died on the cross for you, was it? Were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 I am thankful because now no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I also baptized the family of Stephanas, but I don’t remember that I myself baptized any others.) 17 Christ did not give me the work of baptizing people. He gave me the work of telling the Good News. But he sent me to tell the Good News without using clever speech, which would take away the power that is in the cross [ c ] of Christ.
18 The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.
I will confuse the understanding of the intelligent.” ( A )
20 So what does this say about the philosopher, the law expert, or anyone in this world who is skilled in making clever arguments? God has made the wisdom of the world look foolish. 21 This is what God in his wisdom decided: Since the world did not find him through its own wisdom, he used the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it.
22 The Jews ask for miraculous signs, and the Greeks want wisdom. 23 But this is the message we tell everyone: Christ was killed on a cross. This message is a problem for Jews, and to other people it is nonsense. 24 But Christ is God’s power and wisdom to the people God has chosen, both Jews and Greeks. 25 Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. Even the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, God chose you to be his. Think about that! Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 And God chose what the world thinks is not important—what the world hates and thinks is nothing. He chose these to destroy what the world thinks is important. 29 God did this so that no one can stand before him and boast about anything. 30 It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus. And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in his presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin. 31 So, as the Scriptures say, “Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.” [ d ]
1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Paul, ( A ) called as an apostle of Jesus Christ [ a ] by ( B ) the will of God, and our ( C ) brother ( D ) Sosthenes,
2 To ( E ) the church of God which is in ( F ) Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [ b ] saints ( G ) by calling, with all who in every place ( H ) call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3 ( I ) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 ( J ) I thank [ c ] my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were ( K ) enriched in Him, in all ( L ) speech and ( M ) all knowledge, 6 just as ( N ) the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [ d ] in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly ( O ) await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 ( P ) who will also [ e ] confirm you to the end, blameless on ( Q ) the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 ( R ) God is faithful, through whom you were ( S ) called into ( T ) fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now ( U ) I urge you, ( V ) brothers and sisters , by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all [ f ] agree and that there be no [ g ] ( W ) divisions among you, but that you be [ h ] made complete in ( X ) the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters , by Chloe’s people , that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that ( Y ) each one of you is saying, “I am [ i ] with Paul,” [ j ] or “I am [ k ] with ( Z ) Apollos,” [ l ] or “I am [ m ] with [ n ] ( AA ) Cephas,” [ o ] or “I am [ p ] with Christ.” 13 [ q ] Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you ( AB ) baptized [ r ] in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I ( AC ) baptized none of you except ( AD ) Crispus and ( AE ) Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized [ s ] in my name! 16 But I did baptize the ( AF ) household of Stephanas also; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. 17 ( AG ) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ( AH ) not with [ t ] cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.
18 For the word of the cross is ( AI ) foolishness to ( AJ ) those who [ u ] are perishing, but to us who [ v ] are being saved it is ( AK ) the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“ ( AL ) I will destroy the wisdom of the wise ,
And the understanding of those who have understanding , I will confound .”
20 ( AM ) Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of ( AN ) this age? Has God not ( AO ) made foolish the wisdom of ( AP ) the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God ( AQ ) the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, ( AR ) God [ w ] was pleased through the ( AS ) foolishness of the [ x ] message preached to ( AT ) save those who believe. 22 For indeed ( AU ) Jews ask for [ y ] signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach [ z ] ( AV ) Christ crucified, ( AW ) to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles ( AX ) foolishness, 24 but to those who are ( AY ) the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ( AZ ) the power of God and ( BA ) the wisdom of God. 25 For the ( BB ) foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and ( BC ) the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.
26 For [ aa ] consider your ( BD ) calling, brothers and sisters , that there were ( BE ) not many wise according to [ ab ] the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but ( BF ) God has chosen the foolish things of ( BG ) the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of ( BH ) the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the [ ac ] insignificant things of ( BI ) the world and the despised God has chosen, ( BJ ) the things that are not, so that He may ( BK ) nullify the things that are, 29 so that ( BL ) no [ ad ] human may boast before God. 30 But it is [ ae ] due to Him that you are in ( BM ) Christ Jesus, who became to us ( BN ) wisdom from God, [ af ] and ( BO ) righteousness and ( BP ) sanctification, and ( BQ ) redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written: “ ( BR ) Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord .”
1 Paul, called to be an apostle ( A ) of Christ Jesus by the will of God, ( B ) and our brother Sosthenes, ( C )
2 To the church of God ( D ) in Corinth, ( E ) to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called ( F ) to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name ( G ) of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ( H )
4 I always thank my God for you ( I ) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched ( J ) in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge ( K ) — 6 God thus confirming our testimony ( L ) about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift ( M ) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. ( N ) 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless ( O ) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ( P ) 9 God is faithful, ( Q ) who has called you ( R ) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ( S )
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, [ a ] ( T ) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, ( U ) but that you be perfectly united ( V ) in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household ( W ) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; ( X ) another, “I follow Apollos”; ( Y ) another, “I follow Cephas [ b ] ”; ( Z ) still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ( AA ) 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus ( AB ) and Gaius, ( AC ) 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household ( AD ) of Stephanas; ( AE ) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, ( AF ) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom ( AG ) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness ( AH ) to those who are perishing, ( AI ) but to us who are being saved ( AJ ) it is the power of God. ( AK ) 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” [ c ] ( AL )
20 Where is the wise person? ( AM ) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? ( AN ) Has not God made foolish ( AO ) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world ( AP ) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save ( AQ ) those who believe. ( AR ) 22 Jews demand signs ( AS ) and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: ( AT ) a stumbling block ( AU ) to Jews and foolishness ( AV ) to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, ( AW ) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God ( AX ) and the wisdom of God. ( AY ) 25 For the foolishness ( AZ ) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness ( BA ) of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. ( BB ) Not many of you were wise ( BC ) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose ( BD ) the foolish ( BE ) 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 ( BF ) —to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. ( BG ) 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, ( BH ) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, ( BI ) holiness ( BJ ) and redemption. ( BK ) 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” [ d ] ( BL )
