20 For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on,
    and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.

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Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

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

(E)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 (F)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? (G)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[a] to save those who believe. 22 For (H)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ (I)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (J)the power of God and (K)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: (L)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[b] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But (M)God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; (N)God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even (O)things that are not, to (P)bring to nothing things that are, 29 so (Q)that no human being[c] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us (R)wisdom from God, (S)righteousness and (T)sanctification and (U)redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, (V)“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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Footnotes

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

Israel's Unbelief

30 What shall we say, then? (A)That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, (B)a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel (C)who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness[a] (D)did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the (E)stumbling stone,

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:31 Greek a law of righteousness

(A)We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
(B)We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

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(A)“He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
    he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck;
he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers (B)pig's blood;
    he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
(C)These have chosen their own ways,
    and their soul delights in their abominations;
(D)I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and bring (E)their fears upon them,
(F)because when I called, no one answered,
    when I spoke, they did not listen;
(G)but they did what was evil in my eyes
    and chose that in which I did not delight.”

Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:
“Your brothers who hate you
    and cast you out for my name's sake
have said, (H)‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy’;
    but it is they who shall be put to shame.

“The sound of an uproar from the city!
    A sound from the temple!
The sound of the Lord,
    (I)rendering recompense to his enemies!

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They hatch adders' eggs;
    they weave the spider's web;
he who eats their eggs dies,
    and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched.
(A)Their webs will not serve as clothing;
    men will not cover themselves with what they make.
Their works are works of iniquity,
    and deeds of violence are in their hands.

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12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
    but they will not profit you.
13 (A)When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
    The wind will carry them all off,
    a breath will take them away.
(B)But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
    and shall inherit (C)my holy mountain.

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“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. (A)Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, (B)swear falsely, (C)make offerings to Baal, (D)and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, (E)which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?

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