1 Corinthians 1:15–31

¹⁵that no one may say that to my own name I did baptize; ¹⁶and I did baptize also Stephanas’ household—further, I have not known if I did baptize any other.

¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but—to proclaim good news; not in wisdom of discourse, that the cross of the Christ may not be made of none effect; ¹⁸for the word of the cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us—those being saved—it is the power of God, ¹⁹for it hath been written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nought;’ ²⁰where is the wise? where the scribe? where a disputer of this age? did not God make foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹for, seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom knew not God, it did please God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing. ²²Since also Jews ask a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³also we—we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness, ²⁴and to those called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God, ²⁵because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men; ²⁶for see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong; ²⁸and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless— ²⁹that no flesh may glory before Him; ³⁰and of Him ye—ye are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹that, according as it hath been written, ‘He who is glorying—in the Lord let him glory.’

Chapter 2