Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

For God Intends The Gospel To Be Both Foolishness And Powerful

¹⁸ For the speech^[a] 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^[b] of the intelligent ones”. ²⁰ Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe^[c]? 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^[d] God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of ^[e] 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^[f]— 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^[g] 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^[h] your calling, brothers— that there are not many wise according-to^[i] the flesh, not many powerful, not many well-born^[j]. ²⁷ But God chose^[k] 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^[l] things of the world, and the things having been treated-with-contempt^[m]— the things not being^[n], 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^[o], 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”.