1 Corinthians 1:17–2:16

¹⁷For Christ has not sent me to baptise, but to preach glad tidings; not in wisdom of word, that the cross of the Christ may not be made vain. ¹⁸For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God’s power. ¹⁹For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the understanding ones. ²⁰Where is the wise? where scribe? where disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom has not known God, God has been pleased by the foolishness of the preaching to save those that believe. ²²Since Jews indeed ask for signs, and Greeks seek wisdom; ²³but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews an offence, and to nations foolishness; ²⁴but to those that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ God’s power and God’s wisdom. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶For consider your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many high-born. ²⁷But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may put to shame the strong things; ²⁸and the ignoble things of the world, and the despised, has God chosen, and things that are not, that he may annul the things that are; ²⁹so that no flesh should boast before God. ³⁰But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption; ³¹that according as it is written, He that boasts, let him boast in the Lord.

Chapter 2

¹And I, when I came to you, brethren, came not in excellency of word, or wisdom, announcing to you the testimony of God. ²For I did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling; ⁴and my word and my preaching, not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; ⁵that your faith might not stand in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power.

⁶But we speak wisdom among the perfect; but wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought. ⁷But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, that hidden wisdom which God had predetermined before the ages for our glory: ⁸which none of the princes of this age knew, (for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;) ⁹but according as it is written, Things which eye has not seen, and ear not heard, and which have not come into man’s heart, which God has prepared for them that love him, ¹⁰but God has revealed to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹For who of men hath known the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? thus also the things of God knows no one except the Spirit of God. ¹²But we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God: ¹³which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual things by spiritual means. ¹⁴But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him; and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned; ¹⁵but the spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one. ¹⁶For who has known the mind of the Lord, who shall instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.