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1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New King James Version
19 For it is written:
(A)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 (B)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the [a]disputer of this age? (C)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the (D)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
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- 1 Corinthians 1:20 debater
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New American Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New American Standard Bible
19 For it is written:
“(A)I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.”
20 (B)Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of (C)this age? Has God not (D)made foolish the wisdom of (E)the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God (F)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, (G)God [a]was pleased through the (H)foolishness of the [b]message preached to (I)save those who believe.
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- 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or resolved
- 1 Corinthians 1:21 Lit preaching
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
Amplified Bible
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
Amplified Bible
19 For 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.”(A)
20 Where 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? 21 For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the [a]foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior].
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 1:21 The straightforward message of salvation seemed foolish to unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New International Version
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
New International Version
19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[a](A)
20 Where is the wise person?(B) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(C) Has not God made foolish(D) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(E) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(F) those who believe.(G)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
King James Version
1 Corinthians 1:19-21
King James Version
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
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1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New King James Version
Avoid Worldly Wisdom
18 (A)Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, (B)“He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, (C)“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”
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1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New American Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New American Standard Bible
18 (A)Take care that no one deceives himself. (B)If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in (C)this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For (D)the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “He is (E)the one who catches the wise by their craftiness”; 20 and again, “(F)The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are useless.”
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1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Amplified Bible
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Amplified Bible
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [discarding his worldly pretensions and acknowledging his lack of wisdom], so that he may become [truly] wise.(A) 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness (absurdity, stupidity) before God; for it is written [in Scripture], “[He is] The one who catches the wise and clever in their craftiness;”(B) 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the [humanly] wise, that they are useless.”(C)
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1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New International Version
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
New International Version
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise(A) by the standards of this age,(B) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness(C) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a];(D) 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b](E)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 3:19 Job 5:13
- 1 Corinthians 3:20 Psalm 94:11
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
King James Version
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
King James Version
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.