¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(A) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior^(B) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(C) the Lord.^{(D) 12} This will be a sign^(E) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”^(A)

² As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(A) and on three Sabbath^(B) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^{(C) 3} explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(D) and rise from the dead.^(E) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”^(F) he said.

¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize,^(A) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom^(B) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world^(A) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^(B) those who believe.^{(C) 22} Jews demand signs^(D) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified:^(E) a stumbling block^(F) to Jews and foolishness^(G) to Gentiles,

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,^(A) but not the wisdom of this age^(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(C) 7} No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery^(D) that has been hidden^(E) and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age^(F) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(G) 9} However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(I) to us by his Spirit.^(J)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,^(A) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world^(B) rather than on Christ.

² This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(A) is from God,^{(B) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(C) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(D)