1 Corinthians 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Paul, (A)called (B)by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those (C)sanctified in Christ Jesus, (D)called to be saints together with all those who in every place (E)call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3 (F)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
4 I (G)give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way (H)you were enriched in him in all (I)speech and all knowledge— 6 even as (J)the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you (K)wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 (L)who will sustain you to the end, (M)guiltless (N)in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 (O)God is faithful, by whom you were called into the (P)fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Divisions in the Church
10 I appeal to you, brothers,[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no (Q)divisions among you, but that you be united (R)in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is (S)quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that (T)each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow (U)Apollos,” or “I follow (V)Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 (W)Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you (X)baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except (Y)Crispus and (Z)Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also (AA)the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and (AB)not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
18 For the word of the cross is (AC)folly to (AD)those who are perishing, but to us (AE)who are being saved it is (AF)the power of God. 19 For it is written,
(AG)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 (AH)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? (AI)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[b] to save those who believe. 22 For (AJ)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ (AK)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (AL)the power of God and (AM)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 consider your calling, brothers: (AN)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[c] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But (AO)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; (AP)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even (AQ)things that are not, to (AR)bring to nothing things that are, 29 so (AS)that no human being[d] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[e] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (AT)wisdom from God, (AU)righteousness and (AV)sanctification and (AW)redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, (AX)“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 11, 26
- 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
- 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
- 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him
1 Corinthians 1
Young's Literal Translation
1 Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
2 to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all those calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place -- both theirs and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
4 I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in every thing ye were enriched in him, in all discourse and all knowledge,
6 according as the testimony of the Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that ye are not behind in any gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who also shall confirm you unto the end -- unblamable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;
9 faithful [is] God, through whom ye were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 And I call upon you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing ye may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and ye may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment,
11 for it was signified to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe, that contentions are among you;
12 and I say this, that each one of you saith, `I, indeed, am of Paul' -- `and I of Apollos,' -- `and I of Cephas,' -- `and I of Christ.'
13 Hath the Christ been divided? was Paul crucified for you? or to the name of Paul were ye baptized;
14 I give thanks to God that no one of you did I baptize, except Crispus and Gaius --
15 that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize;
16 and I did baptize also Stephanas' household -- further, I have not known if I did baptize any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news; not in wisdom of discourse, that the cross of the Christ may not be made of none effect;
18 for the word of the cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us -- those being saved -- it is the power of God,
19 for it hath been written, `I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nought;'
20 where [is] the wise? where the scribe? where a disputer of this age? did not God make foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 for, seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom knew not God, it did please God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.
22 Since also Jews ask a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,
23 also we -- we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,
24 and to those called -- both Jews and Greeks -- Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God,
25 because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;
26 for see your calling, brethren, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong;
28 and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless --
29 that no flesh may glory before Him;
30 and of Him ye -- ye are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption,
31 that, according as it hath been written, `He who is glorying -- in the Lord let him glory.'
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
