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Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.

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God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

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)

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14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

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14 But solid food is for the mature,(A) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(B)

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15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

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15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(A) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(B)

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Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

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The god(A) of this age(B) has blinded(C) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,(D) who is the image of God.(E)

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10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

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10 And the God of all grace, who called you(A) to his eternal glory(B) in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,(C) will himself restore you and make you strong,(D) firm and steadfast.

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11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

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11 So Christ himself gave(A) the apostles,(B) the prophets,(C) the evangelists,(D) the pastors and teachers,(E) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(F) may be built up(G) 13 until we all reach unity(H) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(I) and become mature,(J) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(K)

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But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.

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None of the rulers of this age(A) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(B)

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28 God chose things despised by the world,[a] things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:28 Or God chose those who are low born.

28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(A)—to nullify the things that are,

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The Wisdom of God

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”[a]

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:19 Isa 29:14.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness(A) to those who are perishing,(B) but to us who are being saved(C) it is the power of God.(D) 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[a](E)

20 Where is the wise person?(F) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(G) Has not God made foolish(H) the wisdom of the world?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14

12 Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.

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12 Epaphras,(A) who is one of you(B) and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you,(C) that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature(D) and fully assured.

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Pressing toward the Goal

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:13 Some manuscripts read not yet achieved it.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,(A) but I press on to take hold(B) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.(C) 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind(D) and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on(E) toward the goal to win the prize(F) for which God has called(G) me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are mature(H) should take such a view of things.(I) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.(J)

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You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Greek obeying the commander of the power of the air.

in which you used to live(A) when you followed the ways of this world(B) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(C) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(D)

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48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

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48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(A)

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