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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. 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
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him
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1 Corinthians 1
New American Standard Bible

Appeal to Unity

1 Paul, (A)called as an apostle of Jesus Christ [a]by (B)the will of God, and our (C)brother (D)Sosthenes,

2 To (E)the church of God which is in (F)Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [b]saints (G)by calling, with all who in every place (H)call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

3 (I)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 (J)I thank [c]my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were (K)enriched in Him, in all (L)speech and (M)all knowledge, 6 just as (N)the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly (O)await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 (P)who will also [e]confirm you to the end, blameless on (Q)the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 (R)God is faithful, through whom you were (S)called into (T)fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now (U)I urge you, (V)brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all [f]agree and that there be no [g](W)divisions among you, but that you be [h]made complete in (X)the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that (Y)each one of you is saying, “I am [i]with Paul,” [j]or “I am [k]with (Z)Apollos,” [l]or “I am [m]with [n](AA)Cephas,” [o]or “I am [p]with Christ.” 13 [q]Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you (AB)baptized [r]in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I (AC)baptized none of you except (AD)Crispus and (AE)Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized [s]in my name! 16 But I did baptize the (AF)household of Stephanas also; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. 17 (AG)For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (AH)not with [t]cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.

The Wisdom of God

18 For the word of the cross is (AI)foolishness to (AJ)those who [u]are perishing, but to us who [v]are being saved it is (AK)the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“(AL)I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.”

20 (AM)Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of (AN)this age? Has God not (AO)made foolish the wisdom of (AP)the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God (AQ)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, (AR)God [w]was pleased through the (AS)foolishness of the [x]message preached to (AT)save those who believe. 22 For indeed (AU)Jews ask for [y]signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach [z](AV)Christ crucified, (AW)to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles (AX)foolishness, 24 but to those who are (AY)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (AZ)the power of God and (BA)the wisdom of God. 25 For the (BB)foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and (BC)the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.

26 For [aa]consider your (BD)calling, brothers and sisters, that there were (BE)not many wise according to [ab]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but (BF)God has chosen the foolish things of (BG)the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of (BH)the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the [ac]insignificant things of (BI)the world and the despised God has chosen, (BJ)the things that are not, so that He may (BK)nullify the things that are, 29 so that (BL)no [ad]human may boast before God. 30 But it is [ae]due to Him that you are in (BM)Christ Jesus, who became to us (BN)wisdom from God, [af]and (BO)righteousness and (BP)sanctification, and (BQ)redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written: “(BR)Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:1 Lit through
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:2 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:4 Two early mss do not contain my
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:6 Or among
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:8 Or strengthen
  6. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Lit say the same thing
  7. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Lit schisms
  8. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Or united
  9. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit of
  10. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit and
  11. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit of
  12. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit and
  13. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit of
  14. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Peter’s Aramaic name
  15. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit and
  16. 1 Corinthians 1:12 Lit of
  17. 1 Corinthians 1:13 Or Christ has been divided! or Christ is divided!
  18. 1 Corinthians 1:13 Lit into
  19. 1 Corinthians 1:15 Lit into
  20. 1 Corinthians 1:17 I.e., persuasive rhetoric
  21. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or perish
  22. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or are saved
  23. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or resolved
  24. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Lit preaching
  25. 1 Corinthians 1:22 Or confirming miracles
  26. 1 Corinthians 1:23 I.e., the Messiah
  27. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Lit see
  28. 1 Corinthians 1:26 I.e., human standards
  29. 1 Corinthians 1:28 Or lowly
  30. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Lit flesh
  31. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Lit from Him
  32. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Or both
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Romans 16
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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