1 Corinthians 1:10-28

New King James Version

Sectarianism Is Sin

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(A)that you all ^[a]speak the same thing, and that there be no ^[b]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 ^[c]contentions among you. ¹² Now I say this, that ^(B)each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of ^(C)Apollos,” or “I am of ^(D)Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” ^13 (E)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized ^(F)none of you except ^(G)Crispus and ^(H)Gaius, ¹⁵ lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of ^(I)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, ^(J)not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God^(K)

¹⁸ For the ^[d]message of the cross is ^(L)foolishness to ^(M)those who are perishing, but to us ^(N)who are being saved it is the ^(O)power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

^20 (Q)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[e]disputer of this age? ^(R)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the ^(S)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 ^(T)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, ^(U)to the Jews a ^[f]stumbling block and to the ^[g]Greeks ^(V)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(W)the power of God and ^(X)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 ^[h]you see your calling, brethren, ^(Y)that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many ^[i]noble, are called. ²⁷ But ^(Z)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 ^[j]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,