1 Corinthians 1:15–31

¹⁵lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶Yes, I also baptized the household of ^yStephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, ^znot with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸For the ⁷message of the cross is ^afoolishness to ^bthose who are perishing, but to us ^cwho are being saved it is the ^dpower of God. ¹⁹For it is written:

^e“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

^20fWhere is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ⁸disputer of this age? ^gHas not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹For since, in the ^hwisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²²For ⁱJews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³but we preach Christ crucified, ^jto the Jews a ⁹stumbling block and to the ¹Greeks ^kfoolishness, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^lthe power of God and ^mthe wisdom of God. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶For ²you see your calling, brethren, ⁿthat not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many ³noble, are called. ²⁷But ^oGod has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸and the ⁴base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and ^prighteousness and sanctification and redemption—³¹that, as it is written, ^q“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”