Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved.
18
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 It is written in scripture: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the intelligence of the intelligent.
19
For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20 Where are the wise? Where are the legal experts? Where are today's debaters? Hasn't God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
20
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 In God's wisdom, he determined that the world wouldn't come to know him through its wisdom. Instead, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching.
21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.
22 Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,
22
For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,
23 but we preach Christ crucified, which is a scandal to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
23
but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 But to those who are called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God's power and God's wisdom.
24
but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 This is because the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
25
For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
26 Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class.
26
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
27 But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong.
27
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
28 And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing.
28
God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are,
29 So no human being can brag in God's presence.
29
so that no one might boast in the presence of God.
30 It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us.
30
He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 This is consistent with what was written: The one who brags should brag in the Lord!
31
in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.