Study Desk

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)

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.

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household^(w) have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

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."

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?^(aa)

I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus^(ab) and Gaius,^(ac)

so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

(Yes, I also baptized the household^(ad) of Stephanas;^(ae) beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)

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.

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)

For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."^[c](al)

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?

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)

Jews demand signs^(as) and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified:^(at) a stumbling block^(au) to Jews and foolishness^(av) to Gentiles,

but to those whom God has called,^(aw) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^(ax) and the wisdom of God.^(ay)

For the foolishness^(az) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^(ba) of God is stronger than human strength.

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.

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.

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,

so that no one may boast before him.^(bg)

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)

Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."^[d](bl)