1 Corinthians · Chapter 1
1 Corinthians 1
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Greetings from Paul and Sosthenes
(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
(Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians 1:3–14)
4I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
5For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,
6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Unity in the Church
(Psalms 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)
10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
11My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
12What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”*
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
16Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
The Message of the Cross
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19For it is written:“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”*
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
22Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,*
24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.*
Wisdom from God
26Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
29so that no one may boast in His presence.
30It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
31Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”*
Source notes
- 1:12 That is, Peter
- 1:19 Isaiah 29:14 (see also LXX) Read Isaiah 29:14
- 1:23 BYZ and TR to Greeks
- 1:25 Literally than men; twice in this verse
- 1:31 Jeremiah 9:24 Read Jeremiah 9:24
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
Isaiah 29:14Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”
Jeremiah 9:24But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth— for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
Genesis 4:26And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 13:4to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 13:5Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
Genesis 13:6But the land was unable to support both of them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to coexist.
Genesis 13:7And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.
Genesis 13:8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers.
Genesis 13:9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
Genesis 13:10And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
Genesis 13:11So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company.
Genesis 13:12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
Genesis 13:13But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.