² The Lord said to Gideon, “The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’^(A)

¹⁷ Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.’

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.^(A)

²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;^{(A) 28} God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, ²⁹ so that no one^[a] might boast in the presence of God.^(B)

¹³ For he says:

⁹ not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human,^[a] but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments^{(A) 5} and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.^(B)

⁴ My speech and my proclamation were made not with persuasive words of wisdom^[a] but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,^{(A) 5} so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

¹⁸ do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember: you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

⁶ He said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.^(A)