Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.^(A)

¹⁴ Those who are unspiritual^[a] do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.^(A)

The Power of the Gospel

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is God’s saving power for everyone who believes,^[a] for the Jew first and also for the Greek.^(A)

¹⁰ and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^(A)

²³ but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles,^{(A) 24} but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.^(A)

²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe.^(A)

¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:^{(A) 16} to the one group a fragrance from death^[a] to death, to the other a fragrance from life^[b] to life. Who is qualified for these things?^(B)

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

⁵ because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake.^(A)