New Testament · 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1

Greetings from Paul and Sosthenes

(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)

1Paul, a called apostle of Yeshua Messiah through the will^a of God, and Sosthenes the brother,

2to the ekklesia of God that is in Corinth, to those having been made holy^c in Messiah Yeshua, called holy ones^d, together with all those calling upon the name of our Lord Yeshua Messiah in every place — both theirs and ours:^b

3grace^e to you and peace^f from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua Messiah.

Thanksgiving

(Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians 1:3–14)

4I give thanks to my God always concerning you, for the grace of God given to you in Messiah Yeshua, 5that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all word^g and all knowledge^h, 6just as the testimony of Messiah was confirmed in you,

7so that you are not lacking in any gift of grace, as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Yeshua Messiah,ⁱ 8who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Yeshua Messiah. 9God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship^j with His Son Yeshua Messiah our Lord.

Unity in the Ekklesia

(Psalm 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)

10Now I appeal to you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, that you all say the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be restored in the same intellect^k and in the same judgment. 11For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe's household, that there are quarrels among you. 12I mean this: each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Messiah."

13Is Messiah divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I give thanks to God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one should say that I baptized in my own name. 16Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. 17For Messiah did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the good news — not in wisdom^l of speech, lest the cross^m of Messiah be emptied.

The Message of the Cross

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the powerⁿ of God. 19For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will set aside."

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased through the foolishness of proclamation to save those who believe.

22For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23but we proclaim Messiah crucified — a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,^o 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Messiah 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.

Wisdom from God

26For look at your calling, brothers — not many wise according to flesh^p, not many powerful, not many of noble birth were called; 27but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, 28and God chose the ignoble and despised things of the world — the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29so that no flesh may boast before God.

30But from Him you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became wisdom to us from God — both righteousness^q and sanctification^r and redemption^s — 31so that, just as it is written: "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."