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1 Corinthians 3:18–19

Avoid Worldly Wisdom

18 sLet no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise 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 is written, t“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”;

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1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — The New International Version (NIV)

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — English Standard Version (ESV)

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — New Living Translation (NLT)

18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

“He traps the wise

in the snare of their own cleverness.”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — New Century Version (NCV)

18 Do not fool yourselves. If you think you are wise in this world, you should become a fool so that you can become truly wise, 19 because the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. It is written in the Scriptures, “He catches those who are wise in their own clever traps.”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — American Standard Version (ASV)

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

18 Let no one deceive himself: if any one thinks himself to be wise among you in this world, let him become foolish, that he may be wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He who takes the wise in their craftiness.

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

18 Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise. 19 The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

18 No one should deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, he must become foolish so that he can become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness;

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

“He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks himself to be wise among you in this age, let him become a fool, in order that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written, “The one who catches the wise in their craftiness,”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

18 Don’t fool yourselves. Suppose some of you think you are wise by the standards of the world. Then you should become a “fool” so that you can become wise.

19 The wisdom of this world is foolish in God’s eyes. It is written, “God catches wise people in their own tricks.”

1 Corinthians 3:18–19 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

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


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