In Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens^(A) and went to Corinth.^{(B) 2} There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla,^(C) because Claudius^(D) had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, ³ and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.^{(E) 4} Every Sabbath^(F) he reasoned in the synagogue,^(G) trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

A Church Divided Over Leaders

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a](A) 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,^(B) but that you be perfectly united^(C) in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household^(D) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;^(E) another, “I follow Apollos”;^(F) another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”;^(G) still another, “I follow Christ.”

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?^{(H) 14} I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus^(I) and Gaius,^{(J) 15} so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Yes, I also baptized the household^(K) of Stephanas;^(L) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize,^(M) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom^(N) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness^(O) to those who are perishing,^(P) but to us who are being saved^(Q) it is the power of God.^(R)

³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(A)

³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”^(B)