Greeting

Paul, (A)called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ (B)through the will of God, and (C)Sosthenes our brother,

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who (D)are [a]sanctified in Christ Jesus, (E)called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ (F)our Lord, (G)both theirs and ours:

(H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Gifts at Corinth

(I)I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him (J)in all [b]utterance and all knowledge, even as (K)the testimony of Christ was confirmed [c]in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly (L)waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (M)who will also confirm you to the end, (N)that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (O)God is faithful, by whom you were called into (P)the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sectarianism Is Sin

10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Q)that you all [d]speak the same thing, and that there be no [e]divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are [f]contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that (R)each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of (S)Apollos,” or “I am of (T)Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 (U)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized (V)none of you except (W)Crispus and (X)Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of (Y)Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (Z)not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God(AA)

18 For the [g]message of the cross is (AB)foolishness to (AC)those who are perishing, but to us (AD)who are being saved it is the (AE)power of God. 19 For it is written:

(AF)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

20 (AG)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [h]disputer of this age? (AH)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the (AI)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For (AJ)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, (AK)to the Jews a [i]stumbling block and to the [j]Greeks (AL)foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (AM)the power of God and (AN)the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

26 For [k]you see your calling, brethren, (AO)that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many [l]noble, are called. 27 But (AP)God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the [m]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and (AQ)righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, (AR)“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:2 set apart
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:5 speech
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:6 Or among
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Have a uniform testimony
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:10 schisms or dissensions
  6. 1 Corinthians 1:11 quarrels
  7. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Lit. word
  8. 1 Corinthians 1:20 debater
  9. 1 Corinthians 1:23 Gr. skandalon, offense
  10. 1 Corinthians 1:23 NU Gentiles
  11. 1 Corinthians 1:26 consider
  12. 1 Corinthians 1:26 well-born
  13. 1 Corinthians 1:28 insignificant or lowly

Greeting

Paul,(A) called as an apostle(B) of Christ Jesus by God’s will,(C) and Sosthenes our brother:(D)

To God’s church at Corinth,(E) to those who are sanctified(F) in Christ Jesus and called(G) as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name(H) of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father(I) and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

I always thank(J) my God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Christ Jesus, that by Him you were enriched(K) in everything—in all speech and all knowledge.(L) In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,(M) so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait(N) for the revelation(O) of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end,(P) so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.(Q) God is faithful;(R) you were called by Him(S) into fellowship with His Son,(T) Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions at Corinth

10 Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe’s household, that there is rivalry(U) among you. 12 What I am saying is this: Each of you says, “I’m with Paul,” or “I’m with Apollos,”(V) or “I’m with Cephas,”(W) or “I’m with Christ.”(X) 13 Is Christ divided?(Y) Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 I thank God[a][b] that I baptized none of you except Crispus(Z) and Gaius,(AA) 15 so that no one can say you were baptized in my name. 16 I did, in fact, baptize the household(AB) of Stephanas;(AC) beyond that, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross(AD) of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.(AE) 19 For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and I will set aside the understanding of the experts.(AF)[c]

20 Where is the philosopher?[d] Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?(AG) Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For 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 the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs(AH) and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified,(AI) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.[e] 24 Yet to those who are called,(AJ) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Boasting Only in the Lord

26 Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective,[f] not many powerful,(AK) not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen(AL) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world(AM)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one[g] can boast in His presence.(AN) 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness,(AO) sanctification,(AP) and redemption,(AQ) 31 in order that, as it is written:(AR) The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.(AS)[h]

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:14 Other mss omit God
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:14 Or I am thankful
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Is 29:14
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:20 Or wise
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:23 Other mss read Greeks
  6. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Lit wise according to the flesh
  7. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Lit that not all flesh
  8. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jr 9:24