1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

New King James Version

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God^(A)

¹⁸For the ^[a]message of the cross is ^(B)foolishness to ^(C)those who are perishing, but to us ^(D)who are being saved it is the ^(E)power of God. ¹⁹For it is written:

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

²⁰^(G)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[b]disputer of this age? ^(H)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹For since, in the ^(I)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. ²²For ^(J)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³but we preach Christ crucified, ^(K)to the Jews a ^[c]stumbling block and to the ^[d]Greeks ^(L)foolishness, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(M)the power of God and ^(N)the wisdom of God. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶For ^[e]you see your calling, brethren, ^(O)that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many ^[f]noble, are called. ²⁷But ^(P)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; ²⁸and the ^[g]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, ²⁹that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and ^(Q)righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹that, as it is written, ^(R)“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

Christ Crucified

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the ^[h]testimony of God. ²For I determined not to know anything among you ^(S)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ³^(T)I was with you ^(U)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴And my speech and my preaching ^(V)were not with persuasive words of ^[i]human wisdom, ^(W)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the ^(X)power of God.