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1 Corinthians 1-2
American Standard Version

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes [a]our brother, 2 unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank [b]my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything ye were enriched in him, in all [c]utterance and all knowledge; 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no [d]divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 [e]Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? 14 [f]I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; 15 lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name. 16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to [g]preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

18 For the word of the cross is to them that [h]perish foolishness; but unto us who [i]are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

[j]I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this [k]world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the [l]preaching to save them that believe. 22 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 but we preach [m]Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness; 24 but unto [n]them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For [o]behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea [p]and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before God. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, [q]and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: 31 that, according as it is written, [r]He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

2 And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of [s]speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the [t]testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my [u]speech and my [v]preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not [w]stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this [x]world, nor of the rulers of this [y]world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the [z]worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this [aa]world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written,

[ab]Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,
And which entered not into the heart of man,
Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

10 [ac]But unto us God revealed [ad]them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the [ae]world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; [af]combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the [ag]natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually [ah]judged. 15 But he that is spiritual [ai]judgeth all things, and he himself is [aj]judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:1 Greek the brother.
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:4 Some ancient authorities omit my.
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:5 Greek word.
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Greek schisms.
  5. 1 Corinthians 1:13 Or, Christ is divided! Was Paul crucified for you?
  6. 1 Corinthians 1:14 Some ancient authorities read I give thanks that.
  7. 1 Corinthians 1:17 Greek bring good tidings. Compare Mt. 11:5.
  8. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or, are perishing
  9. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Or, are being saved
  10. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isa. 29:14.
  11. 1 Corinthians 1:20 Or, age
  12. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Greek thing preached.
  13. 1 Corinthians 1:23 Or, a Messiah
  14. 1 Corinthians 1:24 Greek the called themselves.
  15. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Or, ye behold
  16. 1 Corinthians 1:28 Many ancient authorities omit and.
  17. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Or, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption
  18. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:23f.
  19. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or, word
  20. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Many ancient authorities read mystery.
  21. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Or, word
  22. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Greek thing preached.
  23. 1 Corinthians 2:5 Greek be.
  24. 1 Corinthians 2:6 Or, age: and so in verses 7, 8; but not in verse 12.
  25. 1 Corinthians 2:6 Or, age: and so in verses 7, 8; but not in verse 12.
  26. 1 Corinthians 2:7 Or, age
  27. 1 Corinthians 2:8 Or, age
  28. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isa. 64:4; 65:17.
  29. 1 Corinthians 2:10 Some ancient authorities read For.
  30. 1 Corinthians 2:10 Or, it
  31. 1 Corinthians 2:12 See verse 6.
  32. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men
  33. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or, unspiritual. Greek psychical.
  34. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or, examined
  35. 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or, examineth
  36. 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or, examined
Listen to 1 Corinthians 1-2
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1 Corinthians 1-2
New International Version

1 Paul, called to be an apostle(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,(B) and our brother Sosthenes,(C)

2 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:

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

Thanksgiving

4 I always thank my God for you(I) because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched(J) in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge(K)— 6 God thus confirming our testimony(L) about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift(M) as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.(N) 8 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) 9 God is faithful,(Q) who has called you(R) into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.(S)

A Church Divided Over Leaders

10 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. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household(W) have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 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.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?(AA) 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus(AB) and Gaius,(AC) 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household(AD) of Stephanas;(AE) beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 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.

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 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) 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c](AL)

20 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? 21 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) 22 Jews demand signs(AS) and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified:(AT) a stumbling block(AU) to Jews and foolishness(AV) to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called,(AW) both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God(AX) and the wisdom of God.(AY) 25 For the foolishness(AZ) of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness(BA) of God is stronger than human strength.

26 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. 27 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. 28 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, 29 so that no one may boast before him.(BG) 30 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) 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d](BL)

2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom(BM) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[e] 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(BN) 3 I came to you(BO) in weakness(BP) with great fear and trembling.(BQ) 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,(BR) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,(BS) 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.(BT)

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,(BU) but not the wisdom of this age(BV) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.(BW) 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery(BX) that has been hidden(BY) and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age(BZ) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(CA) 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[f]—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—(CB)

10 these are the things God has revealed(CC) to us by his Spirit.(CD)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(CE) except their own spirit(CF) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit(CG) of the world,(CH) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(CI) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[g] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God(CJ) but considers them foolishness,(CK) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit(CL) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[h](CM)

But we have the mind of Christ.(CN)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:10 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 11 and 26; and in 2:1; 3:1; 4:6; 6:8; 7:24, 29; 10:1; 11:33; 12:1; 14:6, 20, 26, 39; 15:1, 6, 50, 58; 16:15, 20.
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:12 That is, Peter
  3. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
  4. 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:24
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  7. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
  8. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13
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