1 Corinthians 1:17–2:16

¹⁷For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: ⁱnot with wisdom of ^||words, lest the cross of Christ should be ^kmade of none effect. ¹⁸For the preaching of the cross is to ^lthem that perish ^mfoolishness; but unto us ⁿwhich are saved it is ^othe power of God. ¹⁹For it is written, ^pI will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will ^qbring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. ²⁰Where is the wise? ^rwhere is ^sthe scribe? where is the disputer ^ssof this world? ^thath not God ^umade foolish the wisdom ^uuof this world? ^21vFor after that ^pin the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, ^vvit pleased God by the ^mfoolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ²²For ^wthe Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: ²³But ^wwwe preach Christ crucified, ^xunto the Jews a ^ystumblingblock, and unto the Greeks ^mfoolishness; ²⁴But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^othe power of God, and ^zthe wisdom of God. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶For ^aye see your ^bcalling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, ^cnot many ^dmighty, not many ^enoble, are called: ²⁷But ^fGod hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and ^gthings which are not, ^hto bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ⁱThat no flesh should glory in his presence. ³⁰But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us ^zwisdom, and ^krighteousness, and ^lsanctification, and ^mredemption: ³¹That, according as it is written, ⁿHe that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

2And I, brethren, when I came to you, ^acame not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you ^bthe testimony of God. ²For I determined not to know any thing among you, ^csave Jesus Christ, and him crucified. ³And ^dI was with you ^ein weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴And my speech and my preaching was ^anot with ^||enticing words of man’s wisdom, but ^fin demonstration of the Spirit and of power: ⁵That your faith should not ^†stand in the wisdom of men, but ^gin the power of God.

⁶Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are ^hperfect: yet ^anot the wisdom ⁱof this world, nor of the ^pprinces of this world, ^kthat come to nought: ⁷But we speak the wisdom of God ^lin a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, ^mwhich God ordained ⁿbefore the world unto our glory: ^8oWhich none of the ^pprinces ⁱof this world knew: for ^qhad they known it, they would not have crucified ^rthe Lord of glory. ⁹But as it is written, ^sEye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have ^tentered into the heart of man, the things which God hath ^uprepared for them that love him. ¹⁰But ^xGod hath revealed them unto us ^yby his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. ^11zFor what man knoweth the things of a man, ^asave the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but ^bthe Spirit of God. ¹²Now ^cwe have received, not the spirit of the world, but ^cthe spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. ¹³Which things also we speak, ^dnot in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; ^ecomparing spiritual things with spiritual. ^14fBut the ^gnatural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: ^hfor they are foolishness unto him: ⁱneither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵But ^khe that is spiritual ^||ljudgeth all things, yet he himself is ^||ljudged of no man. ^16mFor who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he ^†may instruct him? But ⁿwe have the mind of Christ.