Chronological
1 Paul[a], a called apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God being in Corinth, to ones having been sanctified[b] in Christ Jesus, called saints[c], with all the ones calling-upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I am giving-thanks to my God always for you for the grace of God having been given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 because you were enriched in everything in[d] Him— in all speech[e] and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of [f] Christ was confirmed[g] in[h] you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift while eagerly-awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 Who also will confirm you until the end so as to be blameless[i] on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through Whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Brothers, Be of One Mind; Stop Dividing Over Your Leaders
10 Now I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all be speaking the same thing, and that there not be divisions among you, but that you be made-complete[j] in the same mind[k] and in the same purpose[l]. 11 For it was made-clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by the ones[m] of Chloe, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this: that each of you is saying “I am of Paul”, and “I of Apollos”, and “I of Cephas”, and “I of Christ”.
Has Christ Been Divided? Were You Baptized Into Paul? Thankfully, I Did Not Baptize You!
13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I give-thanks to God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name! 16 Now I baptized also the household of Stephanas. As to the rest, I do not know if I baptized any other.
For I Was Not Sent To Baptize, But To Announce The Gospel Without Wisdom of Speech
17 For Christ did not send me forth to be baptizing, but to be announcing-the-good-news— not in wisdom of speech, in order that the cross of Christ may not be made-empty[n].
For God Intends The Gospel To Be Both Foolishness And Powerful
18 For the speech[o] of the cross is foolishness to the ones perishing, but is the power of God to us being saved. 19 For it has been written [in Isa 29:14]: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise ones, and I will set-aside the intelligence[p] of the intelligent ones”. 20 Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe[q]? Where is the debater of this age? Did not God make-foolish the wisdom of the world?
For God Saves Those Who Believe The “Foolishness” of Christ Crucified
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know[r] God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of [s] the proclamation to save the ones believing. 22 Because indeed Jews are asking-for signs and Greeks are seeking wisdom, 23 but we are proclaiming Christ crucified[t]— to Jews, an offense; and to Gentiles, foolishness; 24 but to the called ones themselves, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolish thing[u] of God is wiser than humans, and the weak thing of God is stronger than humans.
God Chose To Save The Foolish And Weak To Shame Human Self-Effort
26 For look-at[v] your calling, brothers— that there are not many wise according-to[w] the flesh, not many powerful, not many well-born[x]. 27 But God chose[y] the foolish things of the world in order that He might be putting the wise ones to shame. And God chose the weak things of the world in order that He might be putting the strong things to shame. 28 And God chose the low-born[z] things of the world, and the things having been treated-with-contempt[aa]— the things not being[ab], in order that He might bring-to-nothing the things being, 29 so that no flesh may boast in the sight of God. 30 But by Him you are in Christ Jesus, Who became wisdom to us from God— both righteousness and holiness[ac], and redemption— 31 in order that just as it has been written [in Jer 9:24], “Let the one boasting be boasting in the Lord”.
And I Came To You Proclaiming Christ Crucified Without Human Eloquence Or Wisdom
2 And I, having come[ad] to you, brothers, did not come in accordance with superiority[ae] of speech or of wisdom while proclaiming to you the mystery of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ— and this One having been crucified. 3 And I was[af] with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my proclamation was not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration[ag] of [ah] the Spirit and power, 5 in order that your faith might not be in the wisdom of humans but in the power of God.
Yet We Are Speaking God’s Wisdom To The Mature
6 Yet we are speaking wisdom among the mature, but a wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age— the ones being brought-to-nothing. 7 Rather we are speaking God’s wisdom in a mystery; the wisdom having been hidden which God predestined before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age has understood. For if they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But it [ai] is just as it has been written: “Things which an eye did not see and an ear did not hear, and which did not come-up[aj] on the heart of a human— which God prepared for the ones loving Him”.
God Revealed This Wisdom To Us Through His Spirit
10 And God revealed it [ak] to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among people knows the things of the person except the spirit of the person within him? In this manner also, no one has known the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 And we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, in order that we might know the things having been freely-given to us by God— 13 things which we also are speaking not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, combining[al] spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him and he is not able to understand, because they are spiritually examined[am]. 15 But the spiritual person examines all things, yet he himself is examined by no one[an]. 16 For “who knew the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct Him?” [Isa 40:13], and we have the mind of Christ!
But You Are Still Acting Like Infants By Dividing Over Paul And Apollos
3 And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to ones made-of-flesh[ao], as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not food, for you were not yet able. But not-even still now are you able, 3 for you are still fleshly[ap]. For where there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and walking in accordance with human thinking[aq]? 4 For whenever one says “I am of Paul”, and another “I am of Apollos”, are you not [mere] humans?
So What Are Apollos And Paul? Servants Planting And Watering Seed For God
5 Therefore, what is Apollos? And what is Paul?— servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing-growth. 7 So then neither is the one planting anything, nor the one watering, but God causing the growth. 8 And the one planting and the one watering are one[ar], but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
We Are Workers In God’s Building. Be Careful How You Build On The Foundation
9 For we are God’s fellow-workers[as]; you are God’s farm, God’s building. 10 I laid a foundation according-to[at] the grace of God having been given to me as a wise master-builder, and another is building-upon it. But let each one be watching-out how he builds-upon it. 11 For no one can lay another foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 And if one builds gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw upon the foundation, 13 each one’s work will become evident. For the day will make it clear[au], because it is revealed by fire. And the fire itself will test what-sort each one’s work is. 14 If one’s work which he built-upon it shall remain, he will receive a reward. 15 If one’s work shall be burned-up, he will suffer-loss[av]. But he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and the Spirit of God is dwelling in you? 17 If anyone ruins[aw] the temple of God, God will ruin this one. For the temple of God is holy— which you are!
Don’t Be Deceived. The World’s Wisdom Is Foolishness To God
18 Let no one be deceiving himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish in order that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it has been written [in Job 5:13], “He is the One catching the wise in their craftiness[ax]”; 20 and again [in Ps 94:11], “The Lord knows the thoughts[ay] of the wise, that they are futile”.
So Don’t Boast In People. All God’s Servants Belong To You
21 So then, let no one be boasting in people. For all things are yours— 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things coming— all things are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Consider Us As God’s Assistants And Stewards. Don’t Judge Anything Before The Time
4 Let a person be considering[az] us in-this-manner: as attendants[ba] of Christ and stewards[bb] of the mysteries of God. 2 Here[bc], furthermore, it is sought in[bd] stewards that one be found faithful[be]. 3 Now to me, it is a very small thing that I should be examined[bf] by you, or by a human day of judgment. But I do not even examine myself ! 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but I have not been declared-right[bg] by this, but the One examining me is the Lord. 5 So then do not be judging anything before the time, until the Lord comes, Who will both[bh] illuminate the hidden things of the darkness and reveal the motives[bi] of the hearts. And at-that-time the praise[bj] will come to each one from God.
Brothers, Learn From Apollos And Paul Not To Be Puffed Up About God’s Ministers
6 Now brothers, I applied[bk] these things to myself and Apollos for your sakes, in order that in us you might learn the saying “Do not go[bl] beyond the things which have been written”— in order that you might not be puffed-up, one on behalf of the one against the other. 7 For who discerns[bm] you to be superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received it, why do you boast as-though not having received it?
For God Has Displayed Us Apostles As Last And Lowest In This World
8 You are already satisfied[bn]! You already became-rich! You became-kings[bo] without us! And o-that indeed you became-kings, in order that we also might reign with you. 9 For I think God displayed[bp] us the apostles as last[bq], like ones condemned-to-death— because we were-made[br] a spectacle[bs] to the world, both to angels and to people. 10 We are foolish ones for the sake of Christ, but you are wise ones in Christ. We are weak ones, but you are strong ones. You are distinguished ones, but we are dishonored ones. 11 Until the present hour indeed we hunger, and thirst, and are naked[bt], and are beaten, and live-transiently[bu], 12 and labor— working with our own hands. 13 While being reviled[bv], we bless; while being persecuted, we endure; while being slandered, we conciliate[bw]. We were-made[bx] like the sweepings[by] of the world, the scum[bz] of all things, up to now.
I Am Writing To Admonish You As My Children. Be Imitators of Me
14 I am writing these things not shaming you, but admonishing you as my beloved children. 15 For if you should have ten-thousand tutors[ca] in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I fathered you in Christ Jesus through the good-news. 16 Therefore I exhort you— be[cb] imitators of me. 17 For this reason I sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you as to my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I am teaching everywhere in every church. 18 Now some were puffed-up as-if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills. And I shall come-to-know not the talk[cc] of the ones having been puffed-up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in[cd] talk, but in power. 21 What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing