1 Corinthians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, brothers,t by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ."13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.16 (I did baptize also 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 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 folly 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 the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

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

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,t not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,29 so that no human beingt might boast in the presence of God.30 And because of himt you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

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