1 Corinthians 1

Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother ^[a]Sosthenes,

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

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified (set apart, made holy) in Christ Jesus, who are selected and called as saints (God’s people), together with all those who in every place call on and honor the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Thanksgiving

I thank my God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

so that in everything you were [exceedingly] enriched in Him, in all speech [empowered by the spiritual gifts] and in all knowledge [with insight into the faith].

For in him you have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge –

In this way our testimony about Christ was confirmed and established in you,

God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift [which comes from the Holy Spirit], as you eagerly wait [with confident trust] for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ [when He returns].

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

And He will also confirm you to the end [keeping you strong and free of any accusation, so that you will be] blameless and beyond reproach in the day [of the return] of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

A church divided over leaders

But I urge you, believers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in full agreement in what you say, and that there be no divisions or factions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your way of thinking and in your judgment [about matters of the faith].

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you.

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I am [a disciple] of Paul,” or “I am [a disciple] of Apollos,” or “I am [a disciple] of Cephas (Peter),” or “I am [a disciple] of Christ.”

What I mean is this: one of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas^[b]’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’

Has Christ been divided [into different parts]? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? [Certainly not!]

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?

I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

I thank God that I did not baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

so that no one would say that you were baptized into my name.

so no one can say that you were baptised in my name.

Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else.

(Yes, I also baptised the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptised anyone else.)

For Christ did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize, but [commissioned and empowered me] to preach the good news [of salvation]—not with clever and eloquent speech [as an orator], so that the cross of Christ would not be ^[b]made ineffective [deprived of its saving power].

The Wisdom of God

For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ crucified is God’s power and wisdom

For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written and forever remains written,

For it is written:

Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom?

Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the ^[c]foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior].

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy,

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

[This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty].

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

God has selected [for His purpose] the insignificant (base) things of the world, and the things that are despised and treated with contempt, [even] the things that are nothing, so that He might reduce to nothing the things that are,

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are,

so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God.

so that no one may boast before him.

But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”

Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’^[d]