1 Corinthians 1
Greeting
1 From Paul, called by God’s will to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and from Sosthenes our brother.
2 To God’s church that is in Corinth:
To those who have been made holy to God in Christ Jesus, who are called to be God’s people.
Together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place— he’s their Lord and ours!
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving for the Corinthians
4 I thank my God always for you, because of God’s grace that was given to you in Christ Jesus.5 That is, you were made rich through him in everything: in all your communication and every kind of knowledge,6 in the same way that the testimony about Christ was confirmed with you.7 The result is that you aren’t missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.8 He will also confirm your testimony about Christ until the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, and you were called by him to partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rival groups in Corinth
10 Now I encourage you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: agree with each other and don’t be divided into rival groups. Instead be restored with the same mind and the same purpose.11 My brothers and sisters, Chloe’s people gave me some information about you, that you’re fighting with each other.12 What I mean is this: that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," "I belong to Apollos," "I belong to Cephas," "I belong to Christ."13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in Paul’s name?14 Thank God that I didn’t baptize any of you, except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that nobody can say that you were baptized in my name!16 Oh, I baptized the house of Stephanas too. Otherwise I don’t know if I baptized anyone else.
17 Christ didn’t send me to baptize but to preach the good news. And Christ didn’t send me to preach the good news with clever words so that Christ’s cross won’t be emptied of its meaning.
Human wisdom versus the cross
18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved.19 It is written in scripture: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the intelligence of the intelligent .t20 Where are the wise? Where are the legal experts? Where are today’s debaters? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish?21 In God’s wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn’t come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching.22 Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,23 but we preach Christ crucified, which is a scandal to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.24 But to those who are called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom.
25 This is because the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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! t
1 Corinthians 1
Salutation
1 From Paul,t called to be an apostle of Christ Jesuss by the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother,2 to the church of God that is in Corinth,s to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.t
3 Grace and peace to yout from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Thanksgiving
4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus.5 For you were made richs in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledges –6 just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you –7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelations of our Lord Jesus Christ.8 Het will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Divisions in the Church
10 I urge you, brothers and sisters,t by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together,t to end your divisions,t and to be united by the same mind and purpose.t11 For members of Chloe’s household have made it clear to me, my brothers and sisters,t that there are quarrelst among you.12 Now I mean this, thatt each of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.”13 Is Christ divided? Paul wasn’t crucified for you, was he?t Or were you in fact baptized in the name of Paul?t14 I thank Gods that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name!16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Otherwise, I do not remember whether I baptized anyone else.)
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.t
The Message of the Cross
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.”s20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law?t Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish?21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching.22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom,23 but we preach about a crucified Christ,t a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,t and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.t
26 Think about the circumstances of your call,t brothers and sisters.t Not many were wise by human standards,t not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.t27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.28 God choset what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,29 so that no one can boast in his presence.30 He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus,t who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”s