1I, Paul, am writing this letter. I have been chosen to be an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. Our brother Sosthenes joins me in writing.2We are sending this letter to you, the members of God’s church in Corinth. You have been made holy because you belong to Christ Jesus. God has chosen you to be his holy people. He has done the same for all people everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is their Lord and ours.3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul gives thanks
4I always thank my God for you. I thank him because of the grace he has given to you who belong to Christ Jesus.5You have been blessed in every way because of him. You have been blessed in all your speech and knowledge.6God has shown that what we have spoken to you about Christ is true.7There is no gift of the Holy Spirit that you don’t have. You are full of hope as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again.8God will also keep you strong in faith to the very end. Then you will be without blame on the day our Lord Jesus Christ returns.9God is faithful. He has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Taking sides in the church
10Brothers and sisters, I make my appeal to you. I do this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask that all of you agree with one another in what you say. I ask that you don’t take sides. I ask that you are in complete agreement in all that you think.11My brothers and sisters, I have been told you are arguing with one another. Some people from Chloe’s house have told me this.12Here is what I mean. One of you says, ‘I follow Paul.’ Another says, ‘I follow Apollos.’ Another says, ‘I follow Peter.’ And still another says, ‘I follow Christ.’13Does Christ take sides? Did Paul die on the cross for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?14I thank God that I didn’t baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius.15No one can say that you were baptised in my name.16It’s true that I also baptised those who live in the house of Stephanas. Besides that, I don’t remember if I baptised anyone else.17Christ did not send me to baptise. He sent me to preach the good news. He commanded me not to preach with wisdom and fancy words. That would take all the power away from the cross of Christ.
Christ is God’s power and wisdom
18The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God’s power to us who are being saved.19It is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise. I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart.’ (Isa 29:14)20Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where are the great thinkers of our time? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish?21God wisely planned that the world would not know him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe.22Jews require signs. Greeks look for wisdom.23But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it’s foolish.24But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and Greeks. To them Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom.25The foolish things of God are wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.26Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when God chose you. Not many of you were considered wise by human standards. Not many of you were powerful. Not many of you belonged to important families.27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.28God chose the things of this world that are common and looked down on. God chose things considered unimportant to do away with things considered important.29So no one can boast to God.30Because of what God has done, you belong to Christ Jesus. He has become God’s wisdom for us. He makes us right with God. He makes us holy and sets us free.31It is written, ‘The one who boasts should boast about what the Lord has done.’ (Jer 9:24)
1 Corinthians 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, (Ro 1:1; 2Co 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 2Ti 1:1)2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (Joh 17:19; Ac 9:14; Ro 1:7; 1Co 1:30; 1Co 6:11)3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1Co 1:2)
10I appeal to you, brothers,[1] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. (1Co 11:18; Php 1:27)11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. (1Co 3:3)12What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” (Mt 23:9; Joh 1:42; Ac 18:24; 1Co 3:4)13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (Ac 8:16; 1Co 12:5; 2Co 11:4; Eph 4:5)14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, (Ac 18:8; Ro 16:23)15so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) (1Co 16:15; 1Co 16:17)17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1Co 2:1; 1Co 2:4; 1Co 2:13; 2Co 10:10; 2Co 11:6; 2Pe 1:16)
Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
18For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (Ac 2:47; Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:21; 1Co 1:23; 1Co 1:24; 1Co 1:25; 1Co 2:14; 1Co 15:2; 2Co 2:15; 2Co 4:3; 2Th 2:10)19For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” (Job 5:12; Isa 29:14; Jer 8:9; Mt 11:25)20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (Isa 19:12; Isa 44:25; Ro 1:22; 1Co 1:26; 1Co 2:6; 1Co 3:19)21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach[2] to save those who believe.22For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, (Mt 12:38)23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, (Ga 5:11; 1Pe 2:8)24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (Lu 11:49; 1Co 1:18; 1Co 1:30; Col 2:3)25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.26For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[3] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (Mt 11:25; Joh 7:48; 1Co 1:20; 1Co 2:8)27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (Ps 8:2; Jas 2:5)28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (Job 34:19; Job 34:24; Ro 4:17; 1Co 2:6)29so that no human being[4] might boast in the presence of God. (Jud 7:2; Eph 2:9)30And because of him[5] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, (Jer 23:5; Jer 33:16; Ro 3:24; 1Co 1:2; 1Co 1:24; 2Co 5:21; Eph 1:7; Php 3:9; Col 1:14)31so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (Jer 9:23; 2Co 10:17)