1 Corinthians 1

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,2 to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;5 that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge;6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:7 so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.10 Now I beg you, brothers,t through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thingand that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.11 For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”t
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,23 but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is 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 you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;28 and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:29 that no flesh should boast before God.30 But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:

31 that, according as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast 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