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1 Corinthians 1-4
Young's Literal Translation
1 Corinthians 1-4
Young's Literal Translation
1 Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
2 to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all those calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place -- both theirs and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
4 I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in every thing ye were enriched in him, in all discourse and all knowledge,
6 according as the testimony of the Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that ye are not behind in any gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who also shall confirm you unto the end -- unblamable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;
9 faithful [is] God, through whom ye were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 And I call upon you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing ye may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and ye may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment,
11 for it was signified to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe, that contentions are among you;
12 and I say this, that each one of you saith, `I, indeed, am of Paul' -- `and I of Apollos,' -- `and I of Cephas,' -- `and I of Christ.'
13 Hath the Christ been divided? was Paul crucified for you? or to the name of Paul were ye baptized;
14 I give thanks to God that no one of you did I baptize, except Crispus and Gaius --
15 that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize;
16 and I did baptize also Stephanas' household -- further, I have not known if I did baptize any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news; not in wisdom of discourse, that the cross of the Christ may not be made of none effect;
18 for the word of the cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us -- those being saved -- it is the power of God,
19 for it hath been written, `I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nought;'
20 where [is] the wise? where the scribe? where a disputer of this age? did not God make foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 for, seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom knew not God, it did please God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.
22 Since also Jews ask a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,
23 also we -- we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,
24 and to those 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 see your calling, brethren, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong;
28 and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless --
29 that no flesh may glory before Him;
30 and of Him ye -- ye are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption,
31 that, according as it hath been written, `He who is glorying -- in the Lord let him glory.'
2 And I, having come unto you, brethren, came -- not in superiority of discourse or wisdom -- declaring to you the testimony of God,
2 for I decided not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified;
3 and I, in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling, was with you;
4 and my word and my preaching was not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power --
5 that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 And wisdom we speak among the perfect, and wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age -- of those becoming useless,
7 but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a secret, that God foreordained before the ages to our glory,
8 which no one of the rulers of this age did know, for if they had known, the Lord of the glory they would not have crucified;
9 but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him --'
10 but to us did God reveal [them] through His Spirit, for the Spirit all things doth search, even the depths of God,
11 for who of men hath known the things of the man, except the spirit of the man that [is] in him? so also the things of God no one hath known, except the Spirit of God.
12 And we the spirit of the world did not receive, but the Spirit that [is] of God, that we may know the things conferred by God on us,
13 which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, with spiritual things spiritual things comparing,
14 and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know [them], because spiritually they are discerned;
15 and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned;
16 for who did know the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct Him? and we -- we have the mind of Christ.
3 And I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly -- as to babes in Christ;
2 with milk I fed you, and not with meat, for ye were not yet able, but not even yet are ye now able,
3 for yet ye are fleshly, for where [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not fleshly, and in the manner of men do walk?
4 for when one may say, `I, indeed, am of Paul;' and another, `I -- of Apollos;' are ye not fleshly?
5 Who, then, is Paul, and who Apollos, but ministrants through whom ye did believe, and to each as the Lord gave?
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was giving growth;
7 so that neither is he who is planting anything, nor he who is watering, but He who is giving growth -- God;
8 and he who is planting and he who is watering are one, and each his own reward shall receive, according to his own labour,
9 for of God we are fellow-workmen; God's tillage, God's building ye are.
10 According to the grace of God that was given to me, as a wise master-builder, a foundation I have laid, and another doth build on [it],
11 for other foundation no one is able to lay except that which is laid, which is Jesus the Christ;
12 and if any one doth build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw --
13 of each the work shall become manifest, for the day shall declare [it], because in fire it is revealed, and the work of each, what kind it is, the fire shall prove;
14 if of any one the work doth remain that he built on [it], a wage he shall receive;
15 if of any the work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; and himself shall be saved, but so as through fire.
16 have ye not known that ye are a sanctuary of God, and the Spirit of God doth dwell in you?
17 if any one the sanctuary of God doth waste, him shall God waste; for the sanctuary of God is holy, the which ye are.
18 Let no one deceive himself; if any one doth seem to be wise among you in this age -- let him become a fool, that he may become wise,
19 for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it hath been written, `Who is taking the wise in their craftiness;'
20 and again, `The Lord doth know the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.'
21 So then, let no one glory in men, for all things are yours,
22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things about to be -- all are yours,
23 and ye [are] Christ's, and Christ [is] God's.
4 Let a man so reckon us as officers of Christ, and stewards of the secrets of God,
2 and as to the rest, it is required in the stewards that one may be found faithful,
3 and to me it is for a very little thing that by you I may be judged, or by man's day, but not even myself do I judge,
4 for of nothing to myself have I been conscious, but not in this have I been declared right -- and he who is discerning me is the Lord:
5 so, then, nothing before the time judge ye, till the Lord may come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of the darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then the praise shall come to each from God.
6 And these things, brethren, I did transfer to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us ye may learn not to think above that which hath been written, that ye may not be puffed up one for one against the other,
7 for who doth make thee to differ? and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and if thou didst also receive, why dost thou glory as not having received?
8 Already ye are having been filled, already ye were rich, apart from us ye did reign, and I would also ye did reign, that we also with you may reign together,
9 for I think that God did set forth us the apostles last -- as appointed to death, because a spectacle we became to the world, and messengers, and men;
10 we [are] fools because of Christ, and ye wise in Christ; we [are] ailing, and ye strong; ye glorious, and we dishonoured;
11 unto the present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and wander about,
12 and labour, working with [our] own hands; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer;
13 being spoken evil of, we entreat; as filth of the world we did become -- of all things an offscouring -- till now.
14 Not [as] putting you to shame do I write these things, but as my beloved children I do admonish,
15 for if a myriad of child-conductors ye may have in Christ, yet not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, through the good news, I -- I did beget you;
16 I call upon you, therefore, become ye followers of me;
17 because of this I sent to you Timotheus, who is my child, beloved and faithful in the Lord, who shall remind you of my ways in Christ, according as everywhere in every assembly I teach.
18 And as if I were not coming unto you certain were puffed up;
19 but I will come quickly unto you, if the Lord may will, and I will know not the word of those puffed up, but the power;
20 for not in word is the reign of God, but in power?
21 what do ye wish? with a rod shall I come unto you, or in love, with a spirit also of meekness?
1 Corinthians 1-4
New International Version
1 Corinthians 1-4
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,
But we have the mind of Christ.(CN)
The Church and Its Leaders
3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit(CO) but as people who are still worldly(CP)—mere infants(CQ) in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food,(CR) for you were not yet ready for it.(CS) Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling(CT) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”(CU) are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos?(CV) And what is Paul? Only servants,(CW) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed,(CX) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.(CY) 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service;(CZ) you are God’s field,(DA) God’s building.(DB)
10 By the grace God has given me,(DC) I laid a foundation(DD) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.(DE) 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is,(DF) because the Day(DG) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.(DH) 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.(DI) 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.(DJ)
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple(DK) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?(DL) 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise(DM) by the standards of this age,(DN) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness(DO) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[i];(DP) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[j](DQ) 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders!(DR) All things are yours,(DS) 22 whether Paul or Apollos(DT) or Cephas[k](DU) or the world or life or death or the present or the future(DV)—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ,(DW) and Christ is of God.
The Nature of True Apostleship
4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants(DX) of Christ and as those entrusted(DY) with the mysteries(DZ) God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience(EA) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.(EB) It is the Lord who judges me.(EC) 5 Therefore judge nothing(ED) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.(EE) He will bring to light(EF) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.(EG)
6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”(EH) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.(EI) 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?(EJ) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!(EK) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die(EL) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle(EM) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10 We are fools for Christ,(EN) but you are so wise in Christ!(EO) We are weak, but you are strong!(EP) You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.(EQ) 12 We work hard with our own hands.(ER) When we are cursed, we bless;(ES) when we are persecuted,(ET) we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage(EU) of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul’s Appeal and Warning
14 I am writing this not to shame you(EV) but to warn you as my dear children.(EW) 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father(EX) through the gospel.(EY) 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.(EZ) 17 For this reason I have sent to you(FA) Timothy,(FB) my son(FC) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.(FD)
18 Some of you have become arrogant,(FE) as if I were not coming to you.(FF) 19 But I will come to you very soon,(FG) if the Lord is willing,(FH) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of(FI) talk but of power.(FJ) 21 What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,(FK) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
Footnotes
- 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.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12 That is, Peter
- 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
- 1 Corinthians 1:31 Jer. 9:24
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
- 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
- 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11
- 1 Corinthians 3:22 That is, Peter
New International Version (NIV) 
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