1 Corinthians

Greeting and Thanksgiving

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Sosthenes, our brother,

to God’s church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, along with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I constantly thank my God for you and the grace he has given you through Christ Jesus.

For you have been completely enriched in Him with words and knowledge,

just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed in you.

You possess every spiritual gift and are only waiting for the glorious return of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

He will keep you strong until the end, and you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus’ return.

The faithful God will not fail you after calling you into fellowship with his Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Discord in Corinth

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord, to stay united and avoid divisions; please be perfectly united with one mind and one judgment.

I heard from people at Cloe’s house about your rivalries.

What I mean is this: some say, ‘I am for Paul,’ and others say, ‘I am for Apollos,’ or ‘I am for Peter,’ or ‘I am for Christ.’

Is Christ divided? Or have I, Paul, been crucified for you? Have you been baptized in the name of Paul?

I thank God that I baptized only Crispus and Gaius,

so that no one can say they were baptized in my name.

I have also baptized Stephanas’ family. Besides that, I do not remember baptizing anyone else.

The Message of the Cross17For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to proclaim his gospel. And not with eloquent words! That would be like erasing the cross of Christ.

The message of the cross remains foolishness to those who are perishing. But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God,

as scripture says:

I will destroy

the wisdom of the wise

nd frustrate

the intelligence of the intelligent.

Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the speaker of this age? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish?

Initially, God spoke the language of wisdom, and the world did not recognize God through wisdom. Then God chose, through the foolishness of what we preach, to save those who believe.

The Jews seek miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom,

while we proclaim Christ crucified, a great scandal for the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles!

But he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, for those called by God among both Jews and Gentiles.

The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Brothers and sisters, look and see whom God has called. Few among you are considered cultured or wealthy, and few come from noble families.

Yet God has chosen what the world considers foolish to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong.

God chose the lowly and despised in the world, using those who are considered nothing to bring to nothing those who are considered something,

so that no one can boast before God.

But by God’s grace, you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom from God and who makes us just, holy, and free. Scripture says: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.