1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16

New American Standard Bible 1995

The Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is ^(A)foolishness to ^(B)those who ^[a]are perishing, but to us who ^[b]are being saved it is ^(C)the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

^20 (E)Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of ^(F)this age? Has not God ^(G)made foolish the wisdom of ^(H)the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God ^(I)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, ^(J)God was well-pleased through the ^(K)foolishness of the ^[c]message preached to ^(L)save those who believe. ²² For indeed ^(M)Jews ask for ^[d]signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach ^[e](N)Christ crucified, ^(O)to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles ^(P)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are ^(Q)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(R)the power of God and ^(S)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the ^(T)foolishness of God is wiser than men, and ^(U)the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For ^[f]consider your ^(V)calling, brethren, that there were ^(W)not many wise according to ^[g]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but ^(X)God has chosen the foolish things of ^(Y)the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of ^(Z)the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the base things of ^(AA)the world and the despised God has chosen, ^(AB)the things that are not, so that He may ^(AC)nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that ^(AD)no ^[h]man may boast before God. ³⁰ But ^[i]by His doing you are in ^(AE)Christ Jesus, who became to us ^(AF)wisdom from God, ^[j]and ^(AG)righteousness and ^(AH)sanctification, and ^(AI)redemption, ³¹ so that, just as it is written, “^(AJ)Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

2 And when I came to you, brethren, I ^(AK)did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you ^(AL)the ^[k]testimony of God. ² For I determined to know nothing among you except ^(AM)Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in ^(AN)weakness and in ^(AO)fear and in much trembling, ⁴ and my ^[l]message and my preaching were ^(AP)not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of ^(AQ)the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not ^[m]rest on the wisdom of men, but on ^(AR)the power of God.

⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are ^(AS)mature; a wisdom, however, not of ^(AT)this age nor of the rulers of ^(AU)this age, who are ^(AV)passing away; ⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a ^(AW)mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ^(AX)predestined before the ^(AY)ages to our glory; ⁸ the wisdom ^(AZ)which none of the rulers of ^(BA)this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified ^(BB)the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written,

^10 [n](BD)For to us God revealed them ^(BE)through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the ^(BF)depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the ^(BG)spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we ^(BH)have received, not the spirit of ^(BI)the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, ¹³ which things we also speak, ^(BJ)not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, ^[o]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

¹⁴ But ^[p]a ^(BK)natural man ^(BL)does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are ^(BM)foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually ^[q]appraised. ¹⁵ But he who is ^(BN)spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶ For ^(BO)who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But ^(BP)we have the mind of Christ.