New Living Translation NLT
New International Version NIV
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
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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 As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
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For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.
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Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.
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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.
22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.
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Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
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but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
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but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
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For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.
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Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.
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But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
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God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
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Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.