A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
1 Corinthians 1
1 Corinthians 1 is the opening chapter of the forty-sixth book of the Bible. The 31-verse chapter opens Paul's letter to a deeply divided church in Corinth and begins his case against the factions that have formed there.
The chapter opens with Paul's greeting. He identifies himself as called by the will of God to be an apostle, and writes alongside a coworker named Sosthenes. He addresses the church of God in Corinth, those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. He follows the greeting with thanksgiving for the spiritual gifts the Corinthians have received.
The thanksgiving gives way quickly to the first problem. Paul has heard from Chloe's people that there are quarrels in the church. The Corinthians are dividing into camps according to which teacher they prefer. Some say "I follow Paul." Others say "I follow Apollos." Others "I follow Cephas." Others "I follow Christ."
Paul rejects the entire framework. He was not crucified for them, he asks; were they baptized into his name? He notes briefly that he is glad he baptized only a few of them, because his calling is not to baptize but to preach the gospel.
The chapter then turns to the heart of Paul's response. The message of the cross looks foolish by worldly standards. To Jews demanding signs and Greeks seeking wisdom, a crucified Messiah seems weak and absurd. But to those being saved, Christ crucified is the power and wisdom of God. God has deliberately chosen what the world considers foolish, weak, lowly, and despised, to nullify what the world considers wise and strong.
The chapter closes with a quotation from Jeremiah: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Verse 1. Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
Verse 2. To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Verse 3. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 4. I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
Verse 5. For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,
Verse 6. because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
Verse 7. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 8. He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 9. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Verse 10. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
Verse 11. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
Verse 12. What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Verse 13. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
Verse 14. I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
Verse 15. so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
Verse 16. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
Verse 17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Verse 18. 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.
Verse 19. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Verse 20. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Verse 21. 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.
Verse 22. Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
Verse 23. but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Verse 24. but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Verse 25. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
Verse 26. Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
Verse 27. 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.
Verse 28. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
Verse 29. so that no one may boast in His presence.
Verse 30. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Verse 31. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
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