1 Corinthians 1

Greeting

1Paul, #See Rom. 1:1 called #2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

2To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those #ch. 6:11; [ver. 30]; See John 17:19 sanctified in Christ Jesus, #See Rom. 1:7 called to be saints together with all those who in every place #See Acts 9:14call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3 # [See ver. 2 above] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

4I #See Rom. 1:8give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5that in every way #2 Cor. 9:11; [2 Cor. 6:10] you were enriched in him in all #2 Cor. 8:7; [ch. 12:8]; See Rom. 15:14; 1 John 2:20speech and all knowledge— 6even as #2 Tim. 1:8; [2 Thess. 1:10; 1 Tim. 2:6; Rev. 1:2]the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you #Rom. 8:19; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 9:28; See Luke 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:12wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8#[Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 3:13] who will sustain you to the end, #Col. 1:22 guiltless #ch. 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 2:16; [Luke 17:24]in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9#ch. 10:13; Deut. 7:9; Isa. 49:7; 2 Cor. 1:18 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the #1 John 1:3fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10I appeal to you, brothers,#1:10 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 11, 26 by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no #ch. 11:18 divisions among you, but that you be united #[Phil. 1:27]in the same mind and the same judgment. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is #ch. 3:3quarreling among you, my brothers. 12What I mean is that #ch. 3:4; [Matt. 23:9, 10] each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow #See Acts 18:24 Apollos,” or “I follow #See John 1:42Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13#[ch. 12:5; 2 Cor. 11:4; Eph. 4:5] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you #See Acts 8:16baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except #Acts 18:8 Crispus and #See Rom. 16:23Gaius, 15so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also #ch. 16:15, 17the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and #ch. 2:1, 4, 13; [2 Cor. 10:10; 11:6; 2 Pet. 1:16]not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18For the word of the cross is #ver. 21, 23, 25; ch. 2:14 folly to #2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3; 2 Thess. 2:10 those who are perishing, but to us #ch. 15:2; [Acts 2:47] who are being saved it is #Rom. 1:16; [ver. 24]the power of God. 19For it is written,

# Cited from Isa. 29:14; [Job 5:12, 13; Jer. 8:9; Matt. 11:25] “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 # Isa. 19:12 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? #ch. 2:6; 3:19; Isa. 44:25; Rom. 1:22; [ver. 26]Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach#1:21 Or the folly of preaching to save those who believe. 22For #See Matt. 12:38Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23but we preach Christ #Gal. 5:11; See 1 Pet. 2:8crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ #[ver. 18] the power of God and #ver. 30; Col. 2:3; [Luke 11:49]the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For consider your calling, brothers: #ch. 2:8; John 7:48; [ver. 20]; See Matt. 11:25not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,#1:26 Greek according to the flesh not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But #James 2:5 God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; #Ps. 8:2God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even #Rom. 4:17 things that are not, to #ch. 2:6; [Job 34:19, 24]bring to nothing things that are, 29so #Eph. 2:9; [Judg. 7:2]that no human being#1:29 Greek no flesh might boast in the presence of God. 30And because of him#1:30 Greek And from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us #[ver. 24] wisdom from God, #Jer. 23:5, 6; 33:16; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9 righteousness and #[ver. 2] sanctification and #Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; [Rom. 3:24]redemption, 31so that, as it is written, #2 Cor. 10:17; [Jer. 9:23, 24]“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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1 Corinthians 1

Appeal to Unity

1Paul, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother #This man may have served as secretary to Paul to record his dictation, and may be the synagogue leader mentioned in Acts 18:17.Sosthenes,

2To 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:

3Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I thank my God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5so 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]. 6In this way our testimony about Christ was confirmed and established in you, 7so 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]. 8And 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. 9God 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.

10But 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]. 11For I have been informed about you, my brothers and sisters, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are quarrels and factions among you. 12Now 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.” 13Has Christ been divided [into different parts]? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? [Certainly not!] 14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one would say that you were baptized into my name. 16Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. 17For 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 #Paul may be referring to the danger that convincing people to become Christians by the use of clever rhetoric would result in false conversions (cf 2:5).made ineffective [deprived of its saving power].

The Wisdom of God

18For 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. 19For it is written and forever remains written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise [the philosophy of the philosophers],

And the cleverness of the clever [who do not know Me] I will nullify.”

20Where 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? 21For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the #The straightforward message of salvation seemed foolish to unbelievers.foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. 22For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, 23but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25[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].

26Just 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. 27But 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]. 28God 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, 29so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God. 30But 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], 31so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”

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