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
Common English Bible
Greeting
1 From Paul, called by God’s will to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and from Sosthenes our brother.
2 To God’s church that is in Corinth:
To those who have been made holy to God in Christ Jesus, who are called to be God’s people.
Together with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place—he’s their Lord and ours!
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving for the Corinthians
4 I thank my God always for you, because of God’s grace that was given to you in Christ Jesus. 5 That is, you were made rich through him in everything: in all your communication and every kind of knowledge, 6 in the same way that the testimony about Christ was confirmed with you. 7 The result is that you aren’t missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also confirm your testimony about Christ until the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, and you were called by him to partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rival groups in Corinth
10 Now I encourage you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Agree with each other and don’t be divided into rival groups. Instead, be restored with the same mind and the same purpose. 11 My brothers and sisters, Chloe’s people gave me some information about you, that you’re fighting with each other. 12 What I mean is this: that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” “I belong to Apollos,” “I belong to Cephas,” “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in Paul’s name? 14 Thank God that I didn’t baptize any of you, except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that nobody can say that you were baptized in my name! 16 Oh, I baptized the house of Stephanas too. Otherwise, I don’t know if I baptized anyone else. 17 Christ didn’t send me to baptize but to preach the good news. And Christ didn’t send me to preach the good news with clever words so that Christ’s cross won’t be emptied of its meaning.
Human wisdom versus the cross
18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved. 19 It is written in scripture: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the intelligence of the intelligent.[a] 20 Where are the wise? Where are the legal experts? Where are today’s debaters? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 In God’s wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn’t come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching. 22 Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, which is a scandal to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 24 But to those who are called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom. 25 This is because the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. 27 But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. 28 And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. 29 So no human being can brag in God’s presence. 30 It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us. 31 This is consistent with what was written: The one who brags should brag in the Lord![b]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible