23 Thus says the Lord:

(A)“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his (B)might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

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23 This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom(A)
    or the strong boast of their strength(B)
    or the rich boast of their riches,(C)

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27 But (A)God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the [a]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:28 insignificant or lowly

27 But God chose(A) the foolish(B) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(C)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(D)

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11 I returned (A)and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and (B)chance happen to them all.

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11 I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,(A)
nor does food come to the wise(B)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance(C) happen to them all.(D)

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21 Woe to those who are (A)wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!

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21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes(A)
    and clever in their own sight.

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22 (A)Professing to be wise, they became fools,

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22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(A)

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Avoid Worldly Wisdom

18 (A)Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, (B)“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, (C)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

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18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise(A) by the standards of this age,(B) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness(C) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a];(D) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b](E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
  2. 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11

Those who (A)trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor (B)give to God a ransom for him—
For (C)the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
That he should continue to live eternally,
And (D)not [a]see the Pit.

10 For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 [b]Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They (E)call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not [c]remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the way of those who are (F)foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:9 experience corruption
  2. Psalm 49:11 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. Their graves shall be their houses forever
  3. Psalm 49:12 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. understand (cf. v. 20)

those who trust in their wealth(A)
    and boast(B) of their great riches?(C)
No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom(D) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—(E)
so that they should live on(F) forever
    and not see decay.(G)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(H)
    that the foolish and the senseless(I) also perish,
    leaving their wealth(J) to others.(K)
11 Their tombs(L) will remain their houses[a] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,(M)
    though they had[b] named(N) lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;(O)
    they are like the beasts that perish.(P)

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(Q)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  2. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
  3. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.

14 But if you have (A)bitter envy and [a]self-seeking in your hearts, (B)do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 (C)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For (D)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:14 selfish ambition

14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(A) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(B) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(C) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(D) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(E) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

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19 For it is written:

(A)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

20 (B)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [a]disputer of this age? (C)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the (D)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:20 debater

19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[a](A)

20 Where is the wise person?(B) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(C) Has not God made foolish(D) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(E) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(F) those who believe.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14

19 ‘They will throw their silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their (A)silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the Lord;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.

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19 “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,(A)
    and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
    will not be able to deliver them
    in the day of the Lord’s wrath.(B)
It will not satisfy(C) their hunger
    or fill their stomachs,
    for it has caused them to stumble(D) into sin.(E)

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24 “If(A) I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25 (B)If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;

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24 “If I have put my trust in gold(A)
    or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’(B)
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth,(C)
    the fortune my hands had gained,(D)

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(A)Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But (B)righteousness delivers from death.

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Wealth(A) is worthless in the day of wrath,(B)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(C)

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10 Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, (A)“The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people [a]who follow me.”

11 So the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor (B)boast like the one who takes it off.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 20:10 Lit. at my feet

10 Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust(A) remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”

11 The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast(B) like one who takes it off.’”

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