1 Corinthians 1:25

New Living Translation

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. Even the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Revised Standard Version
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For the folishnes of God is wyser then me: and the weakenes of God is stronger then men.

Hebrew Names Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

International Standard Version
For God's nonsense is wiser than human wisdom,than men">[fn] and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.than men">[fn]

New American Standard Bible
For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.

New Century Version
Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Update Bible Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Webster's Bible Translation
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

English Standard Version
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

World English Bible
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Weymouth's New Testament
Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For that that is foli thing of God, is wiser than men; and that that is the feble thing of God, is strengere than men.

English Revised Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Berean Standard Bible
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Contemporary English Version
Even when God is foolish, he is wiser than everyone else, and even when God is weak, he is stronger than everyone else.

Amplified Bible
[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].

American Standard Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Bible in Basic English
Because what seems foolish in God is wiser than men; and what seems feeble in God is stronger than men.

Complete Jewish Bible
For God's "nonsense" is wiser than humanity's "wisdom." And God's "weakness" is stronger than humanity's "strength."

Darby Translation
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Etheridge Translation
For the foolishness of Aloha is wiser than men, and the weakness of Aloha is stronger than men.

Murdock Translation
Because the foolishness of God, is wiser than men; and the feebleness of God, is stronger than men.

King James Version (1611)
Because the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men: and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.

New Life Bible
God's plan looked foolish to men, but it is wiser than the best plans of men. God's plan which may look weak is stronger than the strongest plans of men.

New Revised Standard
For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.

George Lamsa Translation
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Because, God's foolish thing, is, wiser than men, and, God's weak thing, mightier than men.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For the foolishnesse of God, is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God, is stronger then men.

Good News Translation
For what seems to be God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Christian Standard Bible®
because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

King James Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Lexham English Bible
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Literal Translation
because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and the weak thing of God is stronger than men.

Young's Literal Translation
because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For the foolishnes of God is wyser then men: and the weaknes of God is stroger the men.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for this divine doctrine, as foolish and weak as men may think it, far surpasses all their wisdom, and baffles all their power.

New English Translation
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

New King James Version
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Simplified Cowboy Version
This foolish plan of God's is wiser than the wisest, stronger than the strongest, and better than the best.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Legacy Standard Bible
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. ¹⁸ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. ¹⁹ As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." ²⁰ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. ²¹ Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. ²² It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. ²³ So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. ²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. ²⁶ Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the foolishness: 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Exodus 13:17, Exodus 14:2-4, Joshua 6:2-5, Judges 7:2-8, Judges 15:15, Judges 15:16, 1 Samuel 17:40-51, 1 Kings 20:14-22, Zechariah 4:6, Zechariah 4:7, Zechariah 12:7, Zechariah 12:8, Romans 11:33-36

Reciprocal: Exodus 39:21 - as the Lord Joshua 3:14 - bearing the ark 2 Kings 4:41 - he cast Job 9:19 - he is strong Psalms 94:11 - General Acts 5:39 - if

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the space "sky." And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry ground "land" and the waters "seas." And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:19
And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Genesis 1:20
Then God said, "Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind."

Job 26:13
His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent.

Jeremiah 27:5
With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Because the foolishness of God,.... Not that there is any such thing as "foolishness" in God, nor the least degree of weakness in him; but the apostle means that which the men of the world esteem so, and therefore, by an ironical concession, calls it by those names; by which is intended either Christ, who, as crucified, is counted foolishness; yet he "is wiser than men": yea, even than Solomon, who was wiser than all men besides; Christ is greater than he in wisdom, having all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him; yea, in redemption by the blood of his cross, which is accounted such an egregious instance of folly, there is such a display of wisdom as surpasses all the wisdom of men and angels: and though he is, as crucified, esteemed as

the weakness of God, yet in this respect,

is stronger than men; stronger than the strong man armed; and has done that by his own arm, has brought salvation for his people, which neither men nor angels could ever have done: or all this may be understood of the Gospel of Christ, which is condemned as folly and weakness, and yet has infinitely more wisdom in it, than is to be found in the best concerted schemes of the wisest philosophers; and has had a greater influence on the minds and manners of men than theirs ever had; it is the manifold wisdom of God, and the power of God unto salvation. Moreover, these words may be applied to the saints, called in 1 Corinthians 1:27

the foolish and weak things of the world; and yet even these, in the business of salvation, how foolish soever they may be in other respects, are wiser than the wisest of men destitute of the grace of God; and however weak they are in themselves, in their own esteem, and in the account of others, they are able to do and suffer such things, through the strength of Christ that no other men in the world are able to perform or endure. The phrases here used seem to be a sort of proverbial ones; and the sense of them is, that whatever, in things divine and spiritual, has the appearance of folly and weakness, or is judged to be so by carnal men, is wiser and stronger not only than the wisdom and strength of men, but than men themselves with all their wisdom and strength. It is very likely, that proverbial expressions of this kind, with a little alteration, were used by the Jews. The advice the young men gave to Rehoboam is thus paraphrased by the Targumist o,

חלשותי תקיפא מן גבורתיה דאבא, "my weakness is stronger than the strength of my father"; which is very near the same with the last clause of this verse.

o In 2 Chron. x. 10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because the foolishness of God - That which God appoints, requires, commands, does, etc., which appears to people to be foolish. The passage is not to be understood as affirming that it is really foolish or unwise; but that it appears so to people - Perhaps the apostle here refers to those parts of the divine administration where the wisdom of the plan is not seen; or where the reason of what God does is concealed.

Is wiser than men - Is better adapted to accomplish important ends, and more certainly effectual than the schemes of human wisdom. This is especially true of the plan of salvation - a plan apparently foolish to the mass of people - yet indubitably accomplishing more for the renewing of people, and for their purity and happiness, than all the schemes of human contrivance. They have accomplished nothing toward people’s salvation; this accomplishes everything. They have always failed; this never fails.

The weakness of God - There is really no weakness in God, any more than there is folly. This must mean, therefore, the things of his appointment which appear weak and insufficient to accomplish the end. Such are these facts - that God should seek to save the world by Jesus of Nazareth, Who was supposed unable to save himself Matthew 27:40-43; and that he should expect to save people by the gospel, by its being preached by people who were without learning, eloquence, wealth, fame, or power. The instruments were feeble; and people judged that this was owing to the weakness or lack of power in the God who appointed them.

Is stronger than men - Is able to accomplish more than the utmost might of man. The feeblest agency that God puts forth - so feeble as to be esteemed weakness - is able to effect more than the utmost might of man. The apostle here refers particularly to the work of redemption; but it is true everywhere. We may remark:

(1) That God often effects his mightiest plans by that which seems to men to be weak and even foolish. The most mighty revolutions arise often from the slightest causes; his most vast operations are often connected with very feeble means. The revolution of empires; the mighty effects of the pestilence; the advancement in the sciences, and arts, and the operations of nature, are often brought about by means apparently as little suited to accomplish the work as those which are employed in the plan of redemption.

(2) God is great. If his feeblest powers put forth, surpass the mightiest powers of man, how great must be his might. If the powers of man who rears works of art; who levels mountains and elevates vales; if the power which reared the pyramids, be as nothing when compared with the feeblest putting forth of divine power, how mighty must be his arm! How vast that strength which made, and which upholds the rolling worlds! How safe are his people in his hand! And how easy for him to crush all his foes in death!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. The foolishness of God is wiser, c.] The meaning of these strong expressions is, that the things of God's appointment, which seem to men foolishness, are infinitely beyond the highest degree of human wisdom and those works of God, which appear to superficial observers weak and contemptible, surpass all the efforts of human power. The means which God has appointed for the salvation of men are so wisely imagined and so energetically powerful, that all who properly use them shall be infallibly brought to the end-final blessedness, which he has promised to them who believe and obey.