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Appeal to Unity

¹ Paul, ^(C1)called as an apostle of Jesus Christ ^(F1)by ^(C2)the will of God, and our ^(C3)brother ^(C4)Sosthenes,

² To ^(C1)the church of God which is in ^(C2)Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, ^(F1)saints ^(C3)by calling, with all who in every place ^(C4)call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

^3 (C1)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^4 (C1)I thank ^(F1)my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,⁵ that in everything you were ^(C1)enriched in Him, in all ^(C2)speech and ^(C2)all knowledge,⁶ just as ^(C1)the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed ^(F1)in you,⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly ^(C1)await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,^8 (C1)who will also ^(F1)confirm you to the end, blameless on ^(C2)the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.^9 (C1)God is faithful, through whom you were ^(C2)called into ^(C3)fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁰ Now ^(C1)I urge you, ^(C2)brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all ^(F1)agree and that there be no ^(F2)(C3)divisions among you, but that you be ^(F3)made complete in ^(C4)the same mind and in the same judgment.¹¹ For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.¹² Now I mean this, that ^(C1)each one of you is saying, "I am ^(F1)with Paul," ^(F2)or "I am ^(F1)with ^(C2)Apollos," ^(F2)or "I am ^(F1)with ^(F3)(C3)Cephas," ^(F2)or "I am ^(F1)with Christ."^13 (F1)Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you ^(C1)baptized ^(F2)in the name of Paul?¹⁴ I am thankful that I ^(C1)baptized none of you except ^(C1)Crispus and ^(C2)Gaius,¹⁵ so that no one would say you were baptized ^(F1)in my name!¹⁶ But I did baptize the ^(C1)household of Stephanas also; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else.^17 (C1)For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^(C2)not with ^(F1)cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.

The Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is ^(C1)foolishness to ^(C2)those who ^(F1)are perishing, but to us who ^(F2)are being saved it is ^(C3)the power of God.¹⁹ For it is written:

"^(C1)I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, I WILL CONFOUND."

²⁶ For ^(F1)consider your ^(C1)calling, brothers and sisters, that there were ^(C2)not many wise according to ^(F2)the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;²⁷ but ^(C1)God has chosen the foolish things of ^(C2)the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of ^(C2)the world to shame the things which are strong,²⁸ and the ^(F1)insignificant things of ^(C1)the world and the despised God has chosen, ^(C2)the things that are not, so that He may ^(C3)nullify the things that are,²⁹ so that ^(C1)no ^(F1)human may boast before God.³⁰ But it is ^(F1)due to Him that you are in ^(C1)Christ Jesus, who became to us ^(C2)wisdom from God, ^(F2)and ^(C3)righteousness and ^(C4)sanctification, and ^(C5)redemption,³¹ so that, just as it is written: "^(C1)LET THE ONE WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."