Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, brothers,[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no (A)divisions among you, but that you be united (B)in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is (C)quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that (D)each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow (E)Apollos,” or “I follow (F)Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 (G)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you (H)baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except (I)Crispus and (J)Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also (K)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 (L)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 (M)folly to (N)those who are perishing, but to us (O)who are being saved it is (P)the power of God. 19 For it is written,

(Q)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 (R)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? (S)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[b] to save those who believe. 22 For (T)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ (U)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (V)the power of God and (W)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: (X)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[c] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But (Y)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; (Z)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even (AA)things that are not, to (AB)bring to nothing things that are, 29 so (AC)that no human being[d] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[e] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (AD)wisdom from God, (AE)righteousness and (AF)sanctification and (AG)redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, (AH)“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 11, 26
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him

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