1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Christian Standard Bible

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.^(A) ¹⁹For it is written,

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent.^[a]^(B)

²⁰Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law?^[b] Where is the debater of this age?^(C) Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? ²¹For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. ²²For the Jews ask for signs^(D) and the Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified,^(E) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.^[c] ²⁴Yet to those who are called,^(F) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, ²⁵because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Boasting Only in the Lord

²⁶Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective,^[d] not many powerful,^(G) not many of noble birth. ²⁷Instead, God has chosen^(H) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world^(I)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, ²⁹so that no one^[e] may boast in his presence.^(J) ³⁰It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness,^(K) sanctification,^(L) and redemption^(M)— ³¹in order that, as it is written:^(N) Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.^[f]^(O)

Paul’s Proclamation

2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery^[g] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance^(P) of speech^(Q) or wisdom. ²I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.^(R) ³I came to you in weakness,^(S) in fear,^(T) and in much trembling.^(U) ⁴My speech^(V) and my preaching were not with persuasive^(W) words of wisdom^[h] but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.^(X)

Footnotes

1:19 Is 29:14
1:20 Or scholar
1:23 Other mss read Greeks
1:26 Lit wise according to the flesh
1:29 Lit that not all flesh
1:31 Jr 9:24
2:1 Other mss read testimony
2:4 Other mss read human wisdom

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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