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Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

18 For the word of the cross is (A)foolishness to (B)those who [a]are perishing, but to us who [b]are being saved, it is (C)the power of God. 19 For it is written,

(D)I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

20 (E)Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of (F)this age? Has not God (G)made foolish the wisdom of (H)the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, (I)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, (J)God was well-pleased, through the (K)foolishness of the [c]message preached, to (L)save those who believe. 22 For indeed (M)Jews ask for [d]signs and Greeks search for wisdom, 23 but we preach [e](N)Christ crucified, (O)to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles (P)foolishness, 24 but to those who are (Q)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (R)the power of God and (S)the wisdom of God. 25 Because the (T)foolishness of God is wiser than men, and (U)the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or perish
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or are saved
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Lit preaching
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:22 Or attesting miracles
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:23 Messiah

God’s Way of Saving People Seems Foolish to Some

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 19 In fact, it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing.[a]

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Jewish law? Where is the probing thinker of the present age? Has God not shown that the wisdom of this world[b] is foolish? 21 Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in his wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message. 22 Yes, Jews ask for signs, Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified—which is offensive to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 We preach Christ crucified, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:20 Some witnesses to the text read the world. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)