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The Messiah is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the intelligence of the intelligent I will reject.”[a]

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? God has turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense, hasn’t he? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God,[b] God was pleased to save those who believe through the nonsense of our preaching. 22 Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach the Messiah[c] crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to gentiles, 24 but to those who are called,[d] both Jews and Greeks, the Messiah[e] is God’s power and God’s wisdom. 25 For God’s nonsense is wiser than human wisdom,[f] and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isa 29:14
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:21 The Gk. lacks God
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:23 Or Christ
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:24 Or chosen
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:24 Or Christ
  6. 1 Corinthians 1:25 Lit. than men
  7. 1 Corinthians 1:25 Lit. than men

18 For gar the ho message logos · ho of the ho cross stauros is eimi foolishness mōria to those ho who are perishing apollymi, but de to ho us hēmeis who are being saved sōzō it is eimi the power dynamis of God theos. 19 For gar it is written graphō, “ I will destroy apollymi the ho wisdom sophia of the ho wise sophos, and kai the ho shrewdness synesis of the ho intelligent synetos I will thwart atheteō.” 20 Where pou is the wise sophos person ? Where pou is the scholar grammateus? Where pou is the brilliant syzētētēs debater of ho this houtos age aiōn? Has not ouchi God theos made foolish mōrainō · ho the ho wisdom sophia of the ho world kosmos? 21 For gar since epeidē in en the ho wisdom sophia of ho God theos the ho world kosmos did not ou come to know ginōskō God theos through dia · ho wisdom sophia, · ho God theos was pleased eudokeō · ho through dia the ho foolishness mōria of ho what we preach kērygma to save sōzō those ho who believe pisteuō. 22 For epeidē · kai Jews Ioudaios demand aiteō signs sēmeion and kai Greeks Hellēn are looking for zēteō wisdom sophia, 23 but de we hēmeis preach kēryssō Christ Christos crucified stauroō, a stumbling block skandalon to Jews Ioudaios and de foolishness mōria to Gentiles ethnos. 24 Yet de to those autos who ho are called klētos, both te Jews Ioudaios and kai Greeks Hellēn, Christ Christos is the power dynamis of God theos and kai the wisdom sophia of God theos. 25 For hoti the ho foolishness mōros of ho God theos is eimi wiser sophos than the wisdom of ho men anthrōpos, and kai the ho weakness asthenēs of ho God theos is stronger ischuros than the strength of ho men anthrōpos.

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