^20 (A)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[a]disputer of this age? ^(B)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the ^(C)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 ^(D)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, ^(E)to the Jews a ^[b]stumbling block and to the ^[c]Greeks ^(F)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(G)the power of God and ^(H)the wisdom of God.

Christ Crucified

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ^[a]testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you ^(A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^3 (B)I was with you ^(C)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching ^(D)were not with persuasive words of ^[b]human wisdom, ^(E)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the ^(F)power of God.

The Ephesian Elders Exhorted

¹⁷ From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. ¹⁸ And when they had come to him, he said to them: “You know, ^(A)from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me ^(B)by the plotting of the Jews; ²⁰ how ^(C)I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, ^21 (D)testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, ^(E)repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And see, now ^(F)I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, ²³ except that ^(G)the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. ^24 [a]But ^(H)none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, ^(I)so that I may finish my ^[b]race with joy, ^(J)and the ministry ^(K)which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

²⁵ “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am ^(L)innocent^[c] of the blood of all men. ²⁷ For I have not ^[d]shunned to declare to you ^(M)the whole counsel of God.