1 Corinthians 1:10-24

New King James Version

Sectarianism Is Sin

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(A)that you all ^[a]speak the same thing, and that there be no ^[b]divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are ^[c]contentions among you. ¹² Now I say this, that ^(B)each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of ^(C)Apollos,” or “I am of ^(D)Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” ^13 (E)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized ^(F)none of you except ^(G)Crispus and ^(H)Gaius, ¹⁵ lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of ^(I)Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^(J)not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God^(K)

¹⁸ For the ^[d]message of the cross is ^(L)foolishness to ^(M)those who are perishing, but to us ^(N)who are being saved it is the ^(O)power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

^20 (Q)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[e]disputer of this age? ^(R)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the ^(S)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For ^(T)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, ^(U)to the Jews a ^[f]stumbling block and to the ^[g]Greeks ^(V)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(W)the power of God and ^(X)the wisdom of God.