1 Corinthians 1:18–3:23

The Wisdom of God

18 For the word of the cross is afoolishness to bthose who 1are perishing, but to us who 2are being saved it is cthe power of God.

19 For it is written,

“aI will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

20 aWhere is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of bthis age? Has not God cmade foolish the wisdom of dthe world?

21 For since in the wisdom of God athe world through its wisdom did not come to know God, bGod was well-pleased through the cfoolishness of the 1message preached to dsave those who believe.

22 For indeed aJews ask for 1signs and Greeks search for wisdom;

23 but we preach 1aChrist crucified, bto Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles cfoolishness,

24 but to those who are athe called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ bthe power of God and cthe wisdom of God.

25 Because the afoolishness of God is wiser than men, and bthe weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For 1consider your acalling, brethren, that there were bnot many wise according to 2the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

27 but aGod has chosen the foolish things of bthe world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of bthe world to shame the things which are strong,

28 and the base things of athe world and the despised God has chosen, bthe things that are not, so that He may cnullify the things that are,

29 so that ano 1man may boast before God.

30 But 1by His doing you are in aChrist Jesus, who became to us bwisdom from God, 2and crighteousness and dsanctification, and eredemption,

31 so that, just as it is written, “aLet him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Chapter 2

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

1 And when I came to you, brethren, I adid not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you bthe 1testimony of God.

2 For I determined to know nothing among you except aJesus Christ, and Him crucified.

3 I was with you in aweakness and in bfear and in much trembling,

4 and my 1message and my preaching were anot in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of bthe Spirit and of power,

5 so that your faith would not 1rest on the wisdom of men, but on athe power of God.

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are amature; a wisdom, however, not of bthis age nor of the rulers of bthis age, who are cpassing away;

7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a amystery, the hidden wisdom which God bpredestined before the cages to our glory;

8 the wisdom awhich none of the rulers of bthis age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified cthe Lord of glory;

9 but just as it is written,

“aThings which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

And which have not entered the heart of man,

All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 1aFor to us God revealed them bthrough the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the cdepths of God.

11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the aspirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we ahave received, not the spirit of bthe world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

13 which things we also speak, anot in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, 1combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

14 But 1a anatural man bdoes not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are cfoolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually 2appraised.

15 But he who is aspiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.

16 For awho has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But bwe have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 3

Foundations for Living

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to aspiritual men, but as to bmen of flesh, as to cinfants in Christ.

2 I gave you amilk to drink, not solid food; for you bwere not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is ajealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking 1blike mere men?

4 For when aone says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere bmen?

5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? aServants through whom you believed, even bas the Lord gave opportunity to each one.

6 aI planted, bApollos watered, but cGod was causing the growth.

7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will areceive his own 1reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s afellow workers; you are God’s 1bfield, God’s cbuilding.

10 According to athe grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder bI laid a foundation, and canother is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.

11 For no man can lay a afoundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, 1precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 aeach man’s work will become evident; for bthe day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test 1the quality of each man’s work.

14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will areceive a reward.

15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet aso as through fire.

16 aDo you not know that byou are a 1temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

17 If any man destroys the 1temple of God, God will destroy him, for the 1temple of God is holy, and 2that is what you are.

18 aLet no man deceive himself. bIf any man among you thinks that he is wise in cthis age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

19 For athe wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is bthe one who catches the wise in their craftiness”;

20 and again, “aThe Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”

21 So then alet no one boast in men. For ball things belong to you,

22 awhether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or blife or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,

23 and ayou belong to Christ; and bChrist belongs to God.