11 Paul , called as an apostle of Jesus Christ [1]by the will of God , and Sosthenes our brother , 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth , to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus , [2]saints by calling , with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , their Lord and ours : 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ .
4 I thank [3]my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus , 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge , 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [4]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift , awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ , 8 who will also confirm you to the end , blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ . 9 God is faithful , through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son , Jesus Christ our Lord .
10 Now I exhort you, brethren , by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , that you all [5]agree e and that there be no [6] divisions among you, but that you be [7]made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment . 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren , by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this , that each one of you is saying , "I am of Paul ," and "I of Apollos ," and "I of Cephas ," and "I of Christ ." 13 [8]Has Christ been divided ? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized [9]in the name of Paul ?
14 [10]I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius , 15 so that no one would say you were baptized [11]in my name . 16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas ; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other .
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize , but to preach the gospel , not in [12]cleverness of speech , so that the cross of Christ would not be made void .
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who [13]are perishing , but to us who [14]are being saved it is the power of God . 19 For it is written , " I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE , AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE ." 20 Where is the wise man ? Where is the scribe ? Where is the debater of this age ? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world ? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God , God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the [15]message preached to save those who believe . 22 For indeed Jews ask for [16]signs and Greeks search for wisdom ; 23 but we preach [17] Christ crucified , to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness , 24 but to those who are the called , both Jews and Greeks , Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God . 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men , and the weakness of God is stronger than men . 26 For [18]consider your calling , brethren , that there were not many wise according to [19]the flesh , not many mighty , not many noble ; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise , and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong , 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen , the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no e [20]man may boast before God . 30 But [21]by His doing you are in Christ Jesus , who became to us wisdom from God , [22]and righteousness and sanctification , and redemption , 31 so that, just as it is written , " LET HIM WHO BOASTS , BOAST IN THE Lord ."
21 And when I came to you, brethren , I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom , proclaiming to you the testimony of God . 2 For I determined to know nothing e among you except Jesus Christ , and Him crucified . 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling , 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom , but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power , 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men , but on the power of God .
6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature ; a wisdom , however , not of this age nor of the rulers of this age , who are passing away ; 7 but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery , the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory ; 8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood ; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory ; 9 but just as it is written , " THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD , AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN , ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit ; for the Spirit searches all things , even the depths of God . 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God . 12 Now we have received , not the spirit of the world , but the Spirit who is from God , so that we may know the things freely given to us by God , 13 which things we also speak , not in words taught by human wisdom , but in those taught by the Spirit , combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God , for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot e understand them, because they are spiritually appraised . 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things , yet he himself is appraised by no one . 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE Lord , THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ .
31 And I, brethren , could not speak to you as to spiritual men , but as to men of flesh , as to infants in Christ . 2 I gave you milk to drink , not solid food ; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed , even now you are not yet able , 3 for you are still fleshly . For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly , and are you not walking like mere men ? 4 For when one says , "I am of Paul ," and another , "I am of Apollos ," are you not mere men ?
5 What then is Apollos ? And what is Paul ? Servants through whom you believed , even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one . 6 I planted , Apollos watered , but God was causing the growth . 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything , but God who causes the growth . 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one ; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor . 9 For we are God's fellow workers ; you are God's field , God's building . 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation , and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid , which is Jesus Christ . 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold , silver , precious stones , wood , hay , straw , 13 each man's work will become evident ; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire , and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work . 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains , he will receive a reward . 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss ; but he himself will be saved , yet so as through fire .
16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God , God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy , and that is what you are.
18 Let no man deceive himself . If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age , he must become foolish , so that he may become wise . 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God . For it is written , "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS "; 20 and again , " THE Lord KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise , THAT THEY ARE USELESS ."
21 So then let no one boast in men . For all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come ; all things belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ ; and Christ belongs to God .
41 Let a man regard us in this manner , as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God . 2 In this case , moreover , it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy . 3 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court ; in fact , I do not even examine myself . 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself , yet I am not by this acquitted ; but the one who examines me is the Lord . 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time , but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts ; and then each man's praise will come to him from God . 6 Now these things , brethren , I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes , so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written , so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other .
7 For who regards you as superior ? What do you have that you did not receive ? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 8 You are already filled , you have already become rich , you have become kings without us; and indeed , I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. 9 For, I think , God has exhibited us apostles last of all , as men condemned to death ; because we have become a spectacle to the world , both to angels and to men . 10 We are fools for Christ's sake , but you are prudent in Christ ; we are weak , but you are strong ; you are distinguished , but we are without honor . 11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty , and are poorly clothed , and are roughly treated , and are homeless ; 12 and we toil , working with our own hands ; when we are reviled , we bless ; when we are persecuted , we endure ; 13 when we are slandered , we try to conciliate ; we have become as the scum of the world , the dregs of all things , even until now .
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children . 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ , yet you would not have many fathers , for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel . 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy , who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord , and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ , just as I teach everywhere in every church . 18 Now some have become arrogant , as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon , if the Lord wills , and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power . 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power . 21 What do you desire ? Shall I come to you with a rod , or with love and a spirit of gentleness ?
