1 Corinthians 1:23

Amplified Bible

but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But this is the message we tell everyone: Christ was killed on a cross. This message is a problem for Jews, and to other people it is nonsense.

Revised Standard Version
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But we preache Christ crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallinge and vnto the Grekes folisshnes:

Hebrew Names Version
but we preach Messiah crucified; a stumbling block to Yehudim, and foolishness to Yevanim,

International Standard Version
but we preach Christ crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to Gentiles,Isaiah 8:14; Matthew 11:6; 13:57; Luke 2:34; John 6:60,66; Romans 9:32; John 6:60,66, 1 Corinthians 15:14,18; Galatians 5:11; 1 Peter 2:8;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness,

New Century Version
But we preach a crucified Christ. This causes the Jews to stumble and is foolishness to non-Jews.

Update Bible Version
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness;

Webster's Bible Translation
But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness;

English Standard Version
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

World English Bible
but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness:

Weymouth's New Testament
while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but we prechen Crist crucified, to Jewis sclaundre, and to hethene men foli;

English Revised Version
but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;

Berean Standard Bible
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

Contemporary English Version
But we preach that Christ was nailed to a cross. Most Jews have problems with this, and most Gentiles think it is foolish.

American Standard Version
but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;

Bible in Basic English
But we give the good news of Christ on the cross, a hard thing to the Jews, and a foolish thing to the Gentiles;

Complete Jewish Bible
we go on proclaiming a Messiah executed on a stake as a criminal! To Jews this is an obstacle, and to Greeks it is nonsense;

Darby Translation
but *we* preach Christ crucified, to Jews an offence, and to nations foolishness;

Etheridge Translation
but we preach the Meshiha crucified, a scandal to the Jihudoyee, and to the Aramoyee foolishness;

Murdock Translation
23 But we preach Messiah as crucified; [fn] a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles;

King James Version (1611)
But wee preach Christ crucified, vnto the Iewes a stumbling block, and vnto the Greekes, foolishnesse:

New Living Translation
So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense.

New Life Bible
But we preach that Christ died on a cross to save them from their sins. These words are hard for the Jews to listen to. The Greek people think it is foolish.

New Revised Standard
but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

Geneva Bible (1587)
But wee preach Christ crucified: vnto the Iewes, euen a stumbling blocke, and vnto the Grecians, foolishnesse:

George Lamsa Translation
But we preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Syrians. *

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Whereas, we, proclaim a Christ who hath been crucified, - unto Jews, indeed, an occasion of stumbling, and, unto Gentiles, foolishness;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But we preache Christe crucified, vnto the Iewes a stumblyng blocke, and vnto the Grekes foolyshnesse:

Good News Translation
As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;

Christian Standard Bible®
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.

King James Version
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

Lexham English Bible
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a cause for stumbling, but to the Gentiles foolishness,

Literal Translation
we, on the other hand, preach Christ crucified (truly an offense to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks),

Young's Literal Translation
also we -- we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But we preach Christ the crucified: to the Iewes an occasion off fallinge, and vnto the Grekes foolishnes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
we preach Christ crucified, an obstacle to the Jews indeed, and to the Gentiles foolishness: but to those who believe,

New English Translation
but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

New King James Version
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks [fn] foolishness,

Simplified Cowboy Version
When we preach that Jesus was killed, the Jews get butthurt, and the Gentiles just roll their eyes.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

Legacy Standard Bible
but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

Contextual Overview

¹⁷For Christ did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize, but [commissioned and empowered me] to preach the good news [of salvation]—not with clever and eloquent speech [as an orator], so that the cross of Christ would not be made ineffective [deprived of its saving power]. ¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God's grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written and forever remains written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE [the philosophy of the philosophers], AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER [who do not know Me] I WILL NULLIFY." ²⁰Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world's wisdom? ²¹For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. ²²For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, ²³but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵[This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort]. ²⁶Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we: 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 2:2, Luke 24:46, Luke 24:47, Acts 7:32-35, Acts 10:39-43, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Galatians 3:1, Galatians 6:14, Ephesians 3:8

unto the Jews: Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 8:15, Matthew 11:6, Matthew 13:57, Luke 2:34, John 6:53-66, Romans 9:32, Romans 9:33, Galatians 5:11, 1 Peter 2:8

foolishness: 1 Corinthians 1:28, 1 Corinthians 2:14

Reciprocal: Numbers 11:7 - the manna Psalms 110:2 - the rod Isaiah 57:14 - take Ezekiel 3:20 - and I lay Mark 6:3 - offended Mark 8:11 - seeking Luke 9:31 - spake Acts 8:5 - preached Acts 8:35 - preached Acts 11:20 - preaching Acts 17:20 - strange Acts 17:32 - some Acts 18:17 - And Gallio Acts 26:24 - Paul Romans 16:25 - and the 1 Corinthians 15:1 - I declare Galatians 2:2 - communicated Philippians 1:15 - preach Colossians 1:28 - Whom 2 Peter 1:16 - we have Revelation 2:14 - a stumblingblock

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But we preach Christ crucified,.... Regardless of the sentiments and opinions of Jews and Gentiles, of what the one required and the other sought after; and in opposition to all their senseless and groundless cavils, the apostle and his fellow ministers continued preaching the doctrine of salvation by a crucified Christ, and him only; though it was

unto the Jews a stumblingblock; as was prophesied it should be, and as it came to pass; for they not only stumbled at the meanness of his birth, parentage, and education, at his ministry, miracles, company and audience; but especially at his sufferings and death: it was a stumbling to them that he should die at all, for they understood out of their law, that Christ should abide for ever; and it was more so that he should die the death of the cross, by which, according to their law, he appeared to be accursed; and most of all this was stumbling to them, because they expected a temporal kingdom to be set up by him:

and unto the Greeks foolishness; as that the Son of God should be crucified; that riches should come through his poverty, and men be brought to a kingdom and glory through one so mean and abject; that there should be life for men in his death, and salvation through his crucifixion, or the shameful death of the cross; that blessings should come through his being made a curse; and that his death should be an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of men; and that justification should be by one that was condemned; and peace and pardon should be by his blood; and that he should be raised again from the dead. These things were the subject of their ridicule and banter, and, in their opinion, deserved rather to be laughed at than credited. The Alexandrian copy, and others, and the Vulgate and all the Oriental versions, read, "unto the Gentiles".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But we - We who are Christian preachers make Christ crucified the grand subject of our instructions and our aims in contradistinction from the Jew and the Greek. They seek, the one miracles, the other wisdom, we glory only in the cross.

Christ crucified - The word Christ, the anointed, is the same as the Hebrew name Messiah. The emphasis in this expression is on the word “crucified.” The Jews would make the Messiah whom they expected no less an object of glorifying than the apostles, but they spurned the doctrine that he was to be crucified. Yet in that the apostles boasted; proclaiming him crucified, or “having been crucified” as the only hope of man. This must mean more than that Christ was distinguished for moral worth, more than that he died as a martyr; because if that were all, no reason could be given why the cross should be made so prominent an object. It must mean that Christ was crucified for the sins of people, as an atoning sacrifice in the place of sinners. “We proclaim a crucified. Messiah as the only redeemer of lost people.”

To the Jews a stumbling-block - The word “stumbling-block” (σκάνδαλον skandalon) means properly anything in the way over which one may fall; then anything that gives offence, or that causes one to fall into sin. Here it means that to the Jews, the doctrine that the Messiah was to be crucified gave great offence; excited, irritated, and exasperated them; that they could not endure the doctrine, and treated it with scorn. Compare the Romans 9:33 note; 1 Peter 2:8 note. It is well known that to the Jews no doctrine was more offensive than this, that the Messiah was to be put to death, and that there was to be salvation in no other way. It was so in the times of the apostles, and it has been so since. They have, therefore, usually called the Lord Jesus, by way of derision, “תלוי Tolwiy, the man that was hanged,” that is, on a cross; and Christians they have usually denominated, for the same reason, צבדי תלוי 'Abday Tolwiy, servants of the man that was hanged.” The reasons of this feeling are obvious:

(1) They had looked for a magnificent temporal prince; but the doctrine that their Messiah was crucified, dashed all their expectations. And they regarded it with contempt and scorn, just in proportion as their hopes had been elevated, and these high expectations cherished.

(2) They had the common feelings of all people, the native feelings of pride, and self-righteousness, by which they rejected the doctrine that we are dependent for salvation on one who was crucified.

(3) They regarded Jesus as one given over by God for an enormous attempt at imposition, as having been justly put to death; and the object of the curse of the Almighty. Isaiah 53:4, “we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God.” They endeavored to convince themselves that he was the object of the divine dereliction and abhorrence; and they, therefore, rejected the doctrine of the cross with the deepest feelings of detestation.

To the Greeks - To the Gentiles in general. So the Syriac, the Vulgate, the Arabic, and the Aethiopic versions all read it. The term “Greek” denotes all who were not Jews; thus the phrase, “the Jews and the Greeks” comprehended the whole human family, 1 Corinthians 1:22.

Foolishness - See the note at 1 Corinthians 1:18. They regarded it as folly:

1. Because they esteemed the whole account a fable, and an imposition;
2. It did not accord with their own views of the way of elevating the condition of man;
3. They saw no efficacy in the doctrine, no tendency in the statement that a man of humble birth was put to death in an ignominious manner in Judea, to make people better, or to receive pardon.

(4)They had the common feelings of unrenewed human nature; blind to the beauty of the character of Christ, and blind to the design of his death; and they therefore regarded the whole statement as folly.

We may remark here, that the feelings of the Jews and of the Greeks on this subject, are the common feelings of people. Everywhere sinners have the same views of the cross; and everywhere the human heart, if left to itself, rejects it, as either a stumbling-block or as folly. But the doctrine should be preached, though it is an offence, and though it appears to be folly. It is the only hope of man; and by the preaching of the cross alone can sinners be saved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. But we — Apostles, differing widely from these Gentile philosophers:-

Preach Christ crucified — Call on men, both Jews and Gentiles, to believe in Christ, as having purchased their salvation by shedding his blood for them.

Unto the Jews a stumbling block — Because Jesus came meek, lowly, and impoverished; not seeking worldly glory, nor affecting worldly pomp; whereas they expected the Messiah to come as a mighty prince and conqueror; because Christ did not come so, they were offended at him. Out of their own mouths, we may condemn the gainsaying Jews. In Sohar Chadash, fol. 26, the following saying is attributed to Moses, relative to the brazen serpent: "Moses said, This serpent is a stumbling block to the world. The holy blessed God answered: Not at all, it shall be for punishment to sinners, and life to upright men." This is a proper illustration of the apostle's words.

Unto the Greeks foolishness — Because they could not believe that proclaiming supreme happiness through a man that was crucified at Judea as a malefactor could ever comport with reason and common sense; for both the matter and manner of the preaching were opposite to every notion they had formed of what was dignified and philosophic. In Justin Martyr's dialogue with Trypho the Jew we have these remarkable words, which serve to throw light on the above. "Your Jesus," says Trypho, "having fallen under the extreme curse of God, we cannot sufficiently admire how you can expect any good from God, who place your hopes επ ανθρωπον σταυρωθεντα, upon a man that was CRUCIFIED." The same writer adds: "They count us mad, that after the eternal God, the Father of all things, we give the second place, ανθρωπω σταυρωθεντι, to a man that was crucified." "Where is your understanding," said the Gentiles, "who worship for a god him who was crucified?" Thus Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. See Whitby on this verse.