1 Corinthians 3:18-23

New Living Translation

¹⁸Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

“He traps the wise
in the snare of their own cleverness.”^[a]

²⁰And again,

“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise;
he knows they are worthless.”^[b]

²¹So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you— ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Peter,^[c] or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, ²³and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

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Footnotes

3:19 Job 5:13.
3:20 Ps 94:11.
3:22 Greek Cephas.

1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Amplified Bible

¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [discarding his worldly pretensions and acknowledging his lack of wisdom], so that he may become [truly] wise.^(A) ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness (absurdity, stupidity) before God; for it is written [in Scripture], “[He is] The one who catches the wise and clever in their craftiness;”^(B) ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the [humanly] wise, that they are useless.”^(C) ²¹So let no one boast in men [about their wisdom, or of having this or that one as a leader]. For all things are yours, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter) or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things are yours, ²³and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

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1 Corinthians 3:18-23

New International Version

¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(A) by the standards of this age,^(B) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(C) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];^(D) ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^[b]^(E) ²¹So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(F) All things are yours,^(G) ²²whether Paul or Apollos^(H) or Cephas^[c]^(I) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(J)—all are yours, ²³and you are of Christ,^(K) and Christ is of God.