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Thankful for God’s grace

Paul, called by God’s will to be an apostle of Messiah Jesus, and Sosthenes our brother; to God’s assembly at Corinth, made holy in Messiah Jesus, called to be holy, with everyone who calls on the name of our Lord, Messiah Jesus, in every place—their Lord, indeed, as well as ours! Grace to you and peace from God our father and Messiah Jesus the Lord.

I always thank my God for you, for the grace of God that was given to you in Messiah Jesus. You were enriched in him in everything, in every kind of speech and knowledge, just as the messianic message was established among you, so that you aren’t missing out on any spiritual gift as you wait eagerly for our Lord, Messiah Jesus, to be revealed. He will establish you right through to the end, so that you are blameless on the day of our Lord, Messiah Jesus. God is faithful! And it is through God that you have been called into the fellowship of his son, Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

Beware of divisions!

10 Now I must appeal to you, my brothers and sisters, through the name of Messiah Jesus our Lord, that you should all be in agreement, and that there should be no divisions among you. Instead, you should be fully equipped with the same mind and the same opinion.

11 You see, my dear family, Chloe’s people have put me in the picture about you—about the fact that you are having quarrels. 12 What I’m talking about is this. Each one of you is saying, “I’m with Paul!” “I’m with Apollos!” “I’m with Cephas!” “I’m with the Messiah!”

13 Well! Has the Messiah been cut up into pieces? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into Paul’s name?! 14 I’m grateful to God that I didn’t baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that none of you could say that you were baptized into my name. 16 (All right, I did baptize Stephanas and his household as well. Apart from that, I don’t know if I baptized anybody else.) 17 This is the point, you see: the Messiah didn’t send me to baptize; he sent me to announce the gospel! Not with words of wisdom, either, otherwise the Messiah’s cross would lose its power.

God’s folly

18 The word of the cross, you see, is madness to people who are being destroyed. But to us—those who are being saved—it is God’s power. 19 This is what the Bible says, after all:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the shrewdness of the clever I’ll abolish.

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the debater of this present age? Don’t you see that God has turned the world’s wisdom into folly? 21 This is how it’s happened: in God’s wisdom, the world didn’t know God through wisdom, so it gave God pleasure, through the folly of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 Jews look for signs, you see, and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we announce the crucified Messiah, a scandal to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, the Messiah—God’s power and God’s wisdom. 25 God’s folly is wiser than humans, you see, and God’s weakness is stronger than humans.

Boasting in the Lord

26 Think back to your own call, my brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise in human terms. Not many of you were powerful. Not many were nobly born. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose the insignificant and despised things of the world—yes, even things that don’t exist!—to abolish the power of the things that do exist, 29 so that no creature could boast in God’s presence. 30 Who and what you now are is a gift from God in Messiah Jesus, who has become for us God’s wisdom—and righteousness, sanctification and redemption as well; 31 so that, as the Bible puts it, “Anyone who boasts should boast in the Lord.”

Paul, called to be an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and our brother Sosthenes,(C)

To the church of God(D) in Corinth,(E) to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called(F) to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name(G) of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(H)

Thanksgiving

I always thank my God for you(I) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched(J) in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge(K) God thus confirming our testimony(L) about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift(M) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.(N) He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless(O) on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.(P) God is faithful,(Q) who has called you(R) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.(S)

A Church Divided Over Leaders

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a](T) in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you,(U) but that you be perfectly united(V) in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household(W) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;(X) another, “I follow Apollos”;(Y) another, “I follow Cephas[b]”;(Z) still another, “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?(AA) 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus(AB) and Gaius,(AC) 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household(AD) of Stephanas;(AE) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize,(AF) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom(AG) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness(AH) to those who are perishing,(AI) but to us who are being saved(AJ) it is the power of God.(AK) 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c](AL)

20 Where is the wise person?(AM) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(AN) Has not God made foolish(AO) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(AP) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(AQ) those who believe.(AR) 22 Jews demand signs(AS) and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified:(AT) a stumbling block(AU) to Jews and foolishness(AV) to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called,(AW) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God(AX) and the wisdom of God.(AY) 25 For the foolishness(AZ) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness(BA) of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.(BB) Not many of you were wise(BC) by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose(BD) the foolish(BE) things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(BF)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(BG) 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,(BH) who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,(BI) holiness(BJ) and redemption.(BK) 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d](BL)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 11 and 26; and in 2:1; 3:1; 4:6; 6:8; 7:24, 29; 10:1; 11:33; 12:1; 14:6, 20, 26, 39; 15:1, 6, 50, 58; 16:15, 20.
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:12 That is, Peter
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:24