1 Corinthians 1:18-31

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.

²⁶Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(U) Not many of you were wise^(V) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose^(W) the foolish^(X) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(Y)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him.^(Z) ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,^(AA) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,^(AB) holiness^(AC) and redemption.^(AD) ³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[b]^(AE)

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:24

Proverbs 8:22-31

New International Version

²²“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,^[a]^[b]
    before his deeds of old;
²³I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;^(A)
²⁵before the mountains were settled in place,^(B)
    before the hills, I was given birth,^(C)
²⁶before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.^(D)
²⁷I was there when he set the heavens in place,^(E)
    when he marked out the horizon^(F) on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he established the clouds above^(G)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,^(H)
²⁹when he gave the sea its boundary^(I)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,^(J)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.^(K)
³⁰    Then I was constantly^[c] at his side.^(L)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
³¹rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.^(M)

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Footnotes

Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
Proverbs 8:30 Or was the artisan; or was a little child