1 Corinthians 1:18-29

English Standard Version

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

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

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

²⁰^(F)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? ^(G)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach^[a] to save those who believe. ²²For ^(H)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ ^(I)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(J)the power of God and ^(K)the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶For consider your calling, brothers: ^(L)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,^[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But ^(M)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; ^(N)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even ^(O)things that are not, to ^(P)bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹so ^(Q)that no human being^[c] might boast in the presence of God.