1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Modern English Version

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For to those who are perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of this world foolish? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. ²² For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. ²³ But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. ²⁴ But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men were called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. ²⁸ And God has chosen the base things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, ²⁹ so that no flesh should boast in His presence. ³⁰ But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”^[b]