1 Corinthians 1:17-25

English Standard Version

¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and ^(A)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 ^(B)folly to ^(C)those who are perishing, but to us ^(D)who are being saved it is ^(E)the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,

^(F)“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰^(G)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? ^(H)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^[a] to save those who believe. ²²For ^(I)Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ ^(J)crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(K)the power of God and ^(L)the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.