Christ Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 19It is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise.

I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart.” (Isaiah 29:14)

20Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where are the great thinkers of this world? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21God wisely planned that the world would not know him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe.

22Jews require miraculous signs. Greeks look for wisdom. 23But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it’s foolish.

24But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and others. To them Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom. 25The foolish things of God are wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.