1 Corinthians 1:18
16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
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.
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.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
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?
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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.
- KJV
- For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
- DARBY
- For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God's power.
- BLB
- For the word of the cross is foolishness to those indeed perishing, but to us, those being saved, it is the power of God.
- ÅB
- For ordet om korset er vel en dårskap for dem som går fortapt, men for oss som blir frelst, er det en Guds kraft;
- OTB
- For budskapet om korset synes som dårskap for de fortapte, men for oss som blir frelst, er det Guds kraft.
- B1930
- For ordet om korset er vel en dårskap for dem som går fortapt, men for oss som blir frelst, er det en Guds kraft;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Read in contextRomans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
Read in context2 Thessalonians 2:10
and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
Read in context1 Corinthians 1:23–25
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Read in context2 Corinthians 4:3
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
Read in context1 Corinthians 1:21
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.
Read in context2 Corinthians 2:15–16
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
Read in context1 Corinthians 3:19
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
Read in context