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Appeal to Unity

Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother [a]Sosthenes,

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (set apart, made holy) in Christ Jesus, who are selected and called as saints (God’s people), together with all those who in every place call on and honor the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, so that in everything you were [exceedingly] enriched in Him, in all speech [empowered by the spiritual gifts] and in all knowledge [with insight into the faith]. In this way our testimony about Christ was confirmed and established in you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift [which comes from the Holy Spirit], as you eagerly wait [with confident trust] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ [when He returns]. And He will also confirm you to the end [keeping you strong and free of any accusation, so that you will be] blameless and beyond reproach in the day [of the return] of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith]. 11 For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I am [a disciple] of Paul,” or “I am [a disciple] of Apollos,” or “I am [a disciple] of Cephas (Peter),” or “I am [a disciple] of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided [into different parts]? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? [Certainly not!] 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,(A) 15 so that no one would say that you were baptized into my name. 16 Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. 17 For Christ did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize, but [commissioned and empowered me] to preach the good news [of salvation]—not with clever and eloquent speech [as an orator], so that the cross of Christ would not be [b]made ineffective [deprived of its saving power].

The Wisdom of God

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. 19 For it is written and forever remains written,

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise [the philosophy of the philosophers],
And the cleverness of the clever [who do not know Me] I will nullify.”(B)

20 Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom? 21 For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the [c]foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. 22 For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.(C) 25 [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

26 Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth. 27 But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty]. 28 God has selected [for His purpose] the insignificant (base) things of the world, and the things that are despised and treated with contempt, [even] the things that are nothing, so that He might reduce to nothing the things that are, 29 so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin], 31 so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”(D)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:1 This man may have served as secretary to Paul to record his dictation, and may be the synagogue leader mentioned in Acts 18:17.
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:17 Paul may be referring to the danger that convincing people to become Christians by the use of clever rhetoric would result in false conversions (cf 2:5).
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:21 The straightforward message of salvation seemed foolish to unbelievers.

Paul Paulos, called klētos to be an apostle apostolos of Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous by dia the will thelēma of God theos, and kai Sosthenes Sōsthenēs our ho brother adelphos, to the ho church ekklēsia of ho God theos that ho is eimi in en Corinth Korinthos, to those sanctified hagiazō in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous and called klētos to be saints hagios together syn with all pas those ho in en every pas place topos who call epikaleō on the ho name onoma of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, both their autos Lord and kai ours hēmeis: Grace charis to you hymeis and kai peace eirēnē from apo God theos our hēmeis Father patēr and kai the Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos.

I am always pantote giving eucharisteō thanks to ho my egō God theos for peri you hymeis because epi of the ho grace charis of ho God theos that ho was given didōmi to you hymeis in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, that hoti in en every pas way you were enriched ploutizō in en him autos in en all pas speech logos and kai all pas knowledge gnōsis just kathōs as the ho testimony martyrion about ho Christ Christos was confirmed bebaioō among en you hymeis so hōste that you hymeis do not lack hystereō in en any mēdeis spiritual charisma gift as you wait apekdechomai for the ho revealing apokalypsis of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. He hos · kai will keep bebaioō you hymeis steadfast to heōs the end telos, guiltless anenklētos in en the ho day hēmera of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos. God theos is faithful pistos, · ho by dia whom hos you were called kaleō into eis fellowship koinōnia with ho his autos Son hyios, Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios.

10 I appeal parakaleō to · de you hymeis, brothers adelphos, by dia the ho name onoma of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, that hina you all pas come to agreement ho and kai that there be eimi no divisions schisma among en you hymeis, but de that you be eimi united katartizō in en the ho same autos frame nous of mind and kai the ho same autos judgment gnōmē. 11 For gar it has been reported dēloō to me egō by hypo members of ho Chloe’s household that hoti there are eimi quarrels eris among en you hymeis, my egō brothers adelphos. 12 What I mean legō · de is this houtos: each hekastos of you hymeis is saying legō, “ I egō am eimi with Paul Paulos,” or de, “ I egō am with Apollos Apollōs,” or de, “ I egō am with Cephas Kēphas,” or de, “ I egō am with Christ Christos.” 13 Has Christ Christos been divided merizō? · ho Was Paul Paulos crucified stauroō for hyper you hymeis? Or ē were you baptized baptizō in eis the ho name onoma of Paul Paulos? 14 I thank eucharisteō · ho God theos that hoti I did baptizō not baptize baptizō any oudeis of you hymeis except ei mē Crispus Krispos and kai Gaius Gaios, 15 so hina that no one tis can say legō that hoti you were baptized baptizō in eis · ho my emos name onoma. 16 ( I also kai baptized baptizō · de the ho household oikos of Stephanas Stephanas; beyond loipos that I do not ou know oida if ei I baptized baptizō anyone tis else allos.) 17 For gar Christ Christos did not ou send apostellō me egō to baptize baptizō but alla to preach euangelizō the gospel , and not ou with en eloquent logos wisdom sophia, lest hina mē the ho cross stauros of ho Christ Christos be rendered ineffective kenoō.

18 For gar the ho message logos · ho of the ho cross stauros is eimi foolishness mōria to those ho who are perishing apollymi, but de to ho us hēmeis who are being saved sōzō it is eimi the power dynamis of God theos. 19 For gar it is written graphō, “ I will destroy apollymi the ho wisdom sophia of the ho wise sophos, and kai the ho shrewdness synesis of the ho intelligent synetos I will thwart atheteō.” 20 Where pou is the wise sophos person ? Where pou is the scholar grammateus? Where pou is the brilliant syzētētēs debater of ho this houtos age aiōn? Has not ouchi God theos made foolish mōrainō · ho the ho wisdom sophia of the ho world kosmos? 21 For gar since epeidē in en the ho wisdom sophia of ho God theos the ho world kosmos did not ou come to know ginōskō God theos through dia · ho wisdom sophia, · ho God theos was pleased eudokeō · ho through dia the ho foolishness mōria of ho what we preach kērygma to save sōzō those ho who believe pisteuō. 22 For epeidē · kai Jews Ioudaios demand aiteō signs sēmeion and kai Greeks Hellēn are looking for zēteō wisdom sophia, 23 but de we hēmeis preach kēryssō Christ Christos crucified stauroō, a stumbling block skandalon to Jews Ioudaios and de foolishness mōria to Gentiles ethnos. 24 Yet de to those autos who ho are called klētos, both te Jews Ioudaios and kai Greeks Hellēn, Christ Christos is the power dynamis of God theos and kai the wisdom sophia of God theos. 25 For hoti the ho foolishness mōros of ho God theos is eimi wiser sophos than the wisdom of ho men anthrōpos, and kai the ho weakness asthenēs of ho God theos is stronger ischuros than the strength of ho men anthrōpos.

26 Consider blepō · ho your hymeis calling klēsis, brothers adelphos: according to kata worldly standards sarx, not ou many polys of you were wise sophos, not ou many polys were influential dynatos, not ou many polys were of noble eugenēs birth . 27 But alla God theos chose eklegomai the ho foolish mōros things of the ho world kosmos · ho to hina shame kataischunō the ho wise sophos; · kai God theos chose eklegomai the ho weak asthenēs things of the ho world kosmos · ho to hina shame kataischunō the ho strong ischuros; 28 · kai God theos chose eklegomai the ho things that the ho world kosmos considers insignificant agenēs and kai · ho contemptible exoutheneō, · ho what ho is regarded eimi as nothing , to hina render useless katargeō the ho things that are eimi, 29 so hopōs that no one pas can boast kauchaomai in the presence enōpion of ho God theos. 30 But de you hymeis are eimi of ek him autos in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous, who hos became ginomai for us hēmeis wisdom sophia from apo God theos, and te righteousness dikaiosynē and kai sanctification hagiasmos and kai redemption apolytrōsis, 31 so hina that , as kathōs it is written graphō, “ Let kauchaomai the ho one who boasts kauchaomai, boast kauchaomai in en the Lord kyrios.”