1 Corinthians 1:17-25

English Standard Version

¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and ^(A)not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

¹⁸For the word of the cross is ^(B)folly to ^(C)those who are perishing, but to us ^(D)who are being saved it is ^(E)the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,

^(F)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰^(G)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? ^(H)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach^[a] to save those who believe. ²²For ^(I)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ ^(J)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(K)the power of God and ^(L)the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching

Psalm 33:1-5

English Standard Version

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

33 ^(A)Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
    ^(B)Praise befits the upright.
²Give thanks to the Lord with the ^(C)lyre;
    make melody to him with ^(D)the harp of ^(E)ten strings!
³Sing to him ^(F)a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in ^(G)faithfulness.
⁵He ^(H)loves righteousness and justice;
^(I)the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

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Psalm 33:10-11

English Standard Version

¹⁰The Lord ^(A)brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
¹¹^(B)The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.

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Matthew 25:1-13

English Standard Version

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ^(A)ten virgins who took their lamps^[a] and went to meet ^(B)the bridegroom.^[b] ²Five of them were foolish, and five were ^(C)wise. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom ^(D)was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶But ^(E)at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those virgins rose and ^(F)trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and ^(G)those who were ready went in with him to ^(H)the marriage feast, and ^(I)the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ^(J)‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹²^(K)But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, ^(L)I do not know you.’ ¹³^(M)Watch therefore, for you ^(N)know neither the day nor the hour.