1This letter is from Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother. 2To the congregation of God at Corinth. To you, who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. You who are called to be holy ones, with all whom in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. He is both their Lord and ours. 3Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God that is given you by Jesus Christ. 5He enriches you in every way, in all speaking, and in all knowledge. 6The testimony of Christ was confirmed verifiedestablished in you. 7You do not lack spiritual gifts as you wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also confirm establish you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there are no divisions among you. You should be perfectly joined together united in the same mind and thought. 11The house of Chloe told me, my brothers, that there are disputes among you. 12Concerning that I say, that each one of you said, »I follow Paul;« and »I follow Apollos;« and »I follow Cephas;« and »I follow Christ.« 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul impaled for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius. 15So no one should say that I baptized in my own name. 16I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides that I do not know whether I baptized any others. 17Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the good news: not with wisdom of words, lest the stake of Christ be emptied of its effect. 18For the preaching of the stake is foolishness to those who perish. It is the power of God to us who are saved. 19It is written: »I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.« (Isaiah 29:14) 20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21This is the wisdom of God that the world through its wisdom did not come to know God. God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22Indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom. 23We preach Christ impaled. It is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the nations! 24To those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, it is Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26Consider your calling, brothers. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27Instead God chose the foolish things of the world to confuse shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to confuse shame the things that are mighty. 28God also chose the base things of the world, and things which are despised, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are. 29No human being should boast before God. 30It is because of him you are united with Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 31Let it be as it is written, »He that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah!« (Jeremiah 9:24)