English Standard Version ESV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
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Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
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To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,
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I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—
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that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—
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even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
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God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
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Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
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For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul, ” or “I follow Apollos, ” or “I follow Cephas, ” or “I follow Christ. ”
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Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
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Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
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I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.
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lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. )
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Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
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For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the 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 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. ”
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For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
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?
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Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
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For since, in the 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.
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
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For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
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but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
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but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
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Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
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For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
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;
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But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
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and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
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that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
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But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. ”
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that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.