Study Desk

Paul,^(a) called as an apostle^(b) of Christ Jesus by God's will,^(c) and Sosthenes our brother:^(d)

To God's church at Corinth,^(e) to those who are sanctified^(f) in Christ Jesus and called^(g) as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name^(h) of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.

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

I always thank^(j) my God for you because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus,

that by Him you were enriched^(k) in everything—in all speech and all knowledge.^(l)

In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,^(m)

so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait⁽ⁿ⁾ for the revelation^(o) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will also strengthen you to the end,^(p) so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.^(q)

God is faithful;^(r) you were called by Him^(s) into fellowship with His Son,^(t) Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.

For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe's household, that there is rivalry^(u) among you.

What I am saying is this: Each of you says, "I'm with Paul," or "I'm with Apollos,"^(v) or "I'm with Cephas,"^(w) or "I'm with Christ."^(x)

Is Christ divided?^(y) Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul's name?

I thank God^[a][b] that I baptized none of you except Crispus^(z) and Gaius,^(aa)

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

I did, in fact, baptize the household^(ab) of Stephanas;^(ac) beyond that, I don't know if I baptized anyone else.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross^(ad) of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God's power to us who are being saved.^(ae)

For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts. ^(af)[c]

Where is the philosopher?^[d] Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age?^(ag) Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolish?

For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.

For the Jews ask for signs^(ah) and the Greeks seek wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified,^(ai) a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.^[e]

Yet to those who are called,^(aj) both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God's power and God's wisdom,

because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective,^[f] not many powerful,^(ak) not many of noble birth.

Instead, God has chosen^(al) what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world^(am)—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,

so that no one^[g] can boast in His presence.^(an)

But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness,^(ao) sanctification,^(ap) and redemption,^(aq)

in order that, as it is written:^(ar) The one who boasts must boast in the Lord. ^(as)[h]

When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony^[a] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance^(a) of speech^(b) or wisdom.

For I didn't think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.^(c)

I came to you in weakness,^(d) in fear,^(e) and in much trembling.^(f)

My speech^(g) and my proclamation were not with persuasive^(h) words of wisdom^[b] but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit,

so that your faith might not be based on men's wisdom but on God's power.⁽ⁱ⁾

However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature,^(j) but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers^(k) of this age, who are coming to nothing.^(l)

On the contrary, we speak God's hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined^(m) before the ages for our glory.⁽ⁿ⁾

None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^(o)

But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind— God prepared this for those who love Him. ^(p)[c]

Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything,^(q) even the depths of God.^(r)

For who among men knows the thoughts^[d] of a man except the spirit^(s) of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows^(t) the thoughts^[e] of God except the Spirit of God.

Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.

We also speak these things, not in words^(u) taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.^[f]

But the unbeliever^[g] does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated^[h] spiritually.

The spiritual person, however, can evaluate^[i] everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated^[j] by anyone.

For who has known the Lord's mind, that he may instruct Him? ^(v)[k] But we have the mind of Christ.^(w)