²⁵ For the foolishness^(A) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(B) of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.^(C) Not many of you were wise^(D) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose^(E) the foolish^(F) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(G)—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.^{(H) 30} It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,^(I) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,^(J) holiness^(K) and redemption.^{(L) 31} Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”^[a](M)

2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom^(N) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.^{[b] 2} For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.^{(O) 3} I came to you^(P) in weakness^(Q) with great fear and trembling.^{(R) 4} My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,^(S) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,^{(T) 5} so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.^(U)

⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(B) a messenger of Satan,^(C) to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.^{(D) 9} But he said to me, “My grace^(E) is sufficient for you, for my power^(F) is made perfect in weakness.^(G)”^(H) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight^(I) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,^(J) in persecutions,^(K) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(L)