The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

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- Chapter 1 -

(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)

Paul called to be an Apostle of Iesus Christ, through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

Vnto the Church of God, which is at Corinthus, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus, Saintes by calling, with all that call on the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place, both their Lord, and ours:

Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

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

I thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of God, which is giuen you in Iesus Christ,

That in all things ye are made rich in him, in all kinde of speach, and in all knowledge:

As the testimonie of Iesus Christ hath bene confirmed in you:

So that ye are not destitute of any gift: wayting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ.

Who shall also confirme you vnto the ende, that ye may be blamelesse, in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ.

God is faithfull, by whom ye are called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord.

Unity in the Church

(Psalm 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)

Nowe I beseeche you, brethren, by the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, that ye all speake one thing, and that there be no dissensions among you: but be ye knit together in one mind, and in one iudgement.

For it hath bene declared vnto me, my brethren, of you by them that are of the house of Cloe, that there are contentions among you.

Nowe this I say, that euery one of you saith, I am Pauls, and I am Apollos, and I am Cephas, and I am Christs.

Is Christ deuided? was Paul crucified for you? either were ye baptized into the name of Paul?

I thanke God, that I baptized none of you, but Crispus, and Gaius,

Lest any should say, that I had baptized into mine owne name.

I baptized also the houshold of Stephanas: furthermore knowe I not, whether I baptized any other.

For CHRIST sent me not to baptize, but to preache the Gospel, not with wisdome of wordes, lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect.

The Message of the Cross

For that preaching of the crosse is to them that perish, foolishnesse: but vnto vs, which are saued, it is the power of God.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisedome of the wise, and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent.

Where is the wise? where is the Scribe? where is the disputer of this worlde? hath not God made the wisedome of this worlde foolishnesse?

For seeing the worlde by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of GOD, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue:

Seeing also that the Iewes require a signe, and the Grecians seeke after wisdome.

But wee preach Christ crucified: vnto the Iewes, euen a stumbling blocke, and vnto the Grecians, foolishnesse:

But vnto them which are called, both of the Iewes and Grecians, we preach Christ, the power of God, and the wisedome of God.

For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.

Wisdom from God

For brethren, you see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.

But God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weake thinges of the worlde, to confound the mightie things,

And vile things of the worlde and thinges which are despised, hath God chosen, and thinges which are not, to bring to nought thinges that are,

That no flesh shoulde reioyce in his presence.

But ye are of him in Christ Iesus, who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse, and sanctification, and redemption,

That, according as it is written, Hee that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the Lord.

(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ

(a)

through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:

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

Thanksgiving

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

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

that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge—

even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you—

so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Unity in the Church

(Psalm 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)

Now I beg you, brothers,(b) through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.

Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,

so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.

(I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.

The Message of the Cross

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

For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”(c)

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

For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Wisdom from God

For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.

God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,

that no flesh should boast before God.

Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

that, as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”(d)

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(b)1:10 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”

(d)1:31 ℘ Jeremiah 9:24