1 Corinthians 1:18-25

International Children’s Bible

Christ Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹It is written in the Scriptures:

“I will cause the wise men to lose their wisdom.
I will make the wise men unable to understand.” Isaiah 29:14

²⁰Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the philosopher^[a] of our times? God has made the wisdom of the world foolish. ²¹The world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it. ²²The Jews ask for miracles as proofs. The Greeks want wisdom. ²³But we preach Christ on the cross. This is a big problem to the Jews. And it seems foolish to the non-Jews. ²⁴But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called—Jews and Greeks. ²⁵Even the foolishness of God is wiser than men. Even the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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Footnotes

1:20 philosopher Philosophers were those who searched for truth.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

New International Version

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸For 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) ¹⁹For it is written:

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

²⁰Where 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? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world^(I) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^(J) those who believe.^(K) ²²Jews demand signs^(L) and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified:^(M) a stumbling block^(N) to Jews and foolishness^(O) to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called,^(P) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(Q) and the wisdom of God.^(R) ²⁵For the foolishness^(S) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(T) of God is stronger than human strength.