1 Corinthians · Literal Standard Version
1 Corinthians 1 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 to the Assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called holy ones, with all those calling on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place—both theirs and ours:
2 to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I give thanks to my God always concerning you for the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus,
4 I always thank my God concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all discourse and all knowledge,
5 that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge—
6 according as the testimony of the Christ was confirmed in you,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you—
7 so that you are not behind in any gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
7 so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who also will confirm you to the end—unblamable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 faithful [is] God, through whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 And I call on you, brothers, through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing you may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and you may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment,
10 Now I beg you, brothers, through 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 perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 for it was signified to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe, that contentions are among you;
11 For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
12 and I say this, that each one of you says, “I, indeed, am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”
13 Has the Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you immersed into the name of Paul?
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14 I give thanks to God that I immersed no one of you, except Crispus and Gaius—
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 that no one may say that to my own name I immersed;
15 so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.
16 and I also immersed Stephanas’ household—further, I have not known if I immersed any other.
16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)
17 For Christ did not send me to immerse, but to proclaim good news, not in wisdom of discourse, that the Cross of the Christ may not be made of no effect;
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.
18 for the word of the Cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us—those being saved—it is the power of God,
18 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.
19 for it has been written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nothing”;
19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”
20 where [is] the wise? Where the scribe? Where a disputer of this age? Did God not make foolish the wisdom of this world?
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.
21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.
22 Since also Jews ask a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,
22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,
23 also we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,
24 and to those called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;
25 because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;
25 because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 for see your calling, brothers, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
26 For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;
27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that He may put the wise to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world that He may put the strong to shame;
27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.
28 and God chose the base things of the world, and the things despised, and the things that are not, that He may make useless the things that are—
28 God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,
29 that no flesh may glory before Him;
29 that no flesh should boast before God.
30 but out of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption,
30 Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
31 that, according as it has been written: “He who is glorying—let him glory in the LORD.”
31 that, as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Apollos
An eloquent Alexandrian Jew, mighty in the Scriptures, who was taught more accurately by Priscilla and Aquila and then ministered in Achaia and at Corinth.
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:24; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:6
Chloe
Members of her household informed Paul of the quarrels at Corinth.
Cited in the guide: 1 Corinthians 1:11
Crispus
The leader of the synagogue at Corinth who believed in the Lord with his whole household and was baptized by Paul.
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:14
Gaius
Paul's host at Corinth, whose hospitality extended to the whole church; Paul baptized him.
Cited in the guide: Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14
Sosthenes
The synagogue leader seized and beaten before Gallio's tribunal at Corinth; a Sosthenes is named as co-sender of 1 Corinthians, probably the same man.
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:17; 1 Corinthians 1:1
Stephanas
Paul baptized his household, the first fruits of Achaia, who devoted themselves to serving the saints; he visited Paul at Ephesus.
Cited in the guide: 1 Corinthians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:17
Places
Corinth
Corinth straddled the isthmus linking mainland Greece to the Peloponnese — a hub of commerce and immorality. Paul founded the church here; a Roman bema traditionally linked to his hearing before…
Cited in the guide: Acts 18:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Romans 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Acts 18:17; Colossians 1:1
- 2 Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 1:15–16
- 3 Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:2
- 4 Romans 1:8; John 14:26; John 15:26; Romans 6:17; John 14:14
- 5 2 Corinthians 9:11; 2 Corinthians 8:7; Colossians 2:3; Philippians 1:9; Romans 15:14
- 6 Revelation 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Corinthians 2:1–2; Acts 20:24
- 7 Philippians 3:20; 2 Peter 3:12; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Jude 21
- 8 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Colossians 1:22; Philippians 1:6; Jude 24–25
- 9 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23; Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 10:13
- 10 Philippians 2:1–4; Ephesians 4:1–7; 1 Corinthians 12:25; Romans 12:16; James 3:13–18
- 11 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:23–25; Galatians 5:26; Proverbs 18:6; Genesis 37:2
- 12 Matthew 23:9–10; John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 3:21–23; 1 Corinthians 3:4–6; Galatians 2:9
- 13 Ephesians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48; 1 Corinthians 10:2
- 14 Acts 18:8; Romans 16:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 14:18
- 15 John 7:18; 2 Corinthians 11:2; John 3:28–29
- 16 1 Corinthians 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:17; Acts 16:15; Acts 16:33
- 17 1 Corinthians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5; 2 Corinthians 10:10
- 18 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 1:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 1:23–25; 2 Corinthians 4:3
- 19 Isaiah 29:14; Jeremiah 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Job 5:12–13; Isaiah 19:11
- 20 Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Job 12:17; 1 Corinthians 1:19; Job 12:24
- 21 Luke 10:21; Romans 1:20–22; Matthew 11:25; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 1:24
- 22 Matthew 16:1–4; Matthew 12:38–39; John 2:18; Acts 17:18–21; Mark 8:11
- 23 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:8; 1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 5:11; Isaiah 8:14–15
- 24 1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Romans 1:16
- 25 Romans 11:33–36; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Zechariah 4:6–7; 2 Corinthians 13:4; Zechariah 12:7–8
- 26 James 2:5; 1 Corinthians 3:18–20; 1 Corinthians 2:8; James 1:9–11; Matthew 11:25–26
- 27 James 2:5; Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:20; Psalm 8:2; Luke 21:15
- 28 Job 34:24; Romans 4:17; Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 41:12; Job 34:19–20
- 29 Romans 3:27; Ephesians 2:9; Jeremiah 9:23; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 1:31
- 30 Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9; Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11
- 31 Jeremiah 9:23–24; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Philippians 3:3; Psalm 105:3; Isaiah 41:16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
See how immediately, from the very beginning, he casts down their pride, and dashes to the ground all their fond imagination, in that he speaks of himself as "called." For what I have learnt, saith he, I discovered not myself, nor acquired by my own wisdom, but while I was persecuting and laying waste the Church I was called.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
… "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking Him, and doing judgment and righteousness" ), being especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching …
Moreover, they affirm that the Apostle Paul himself made mention of this cross in the following words: "The doctrine of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the power of God." And again: "God forbid that I should glory in anything save in the cross of Christ, by whom the world …
But the Only-begotten has been "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification," and has been numbered amongst us, and paid tribute to Cæsar.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… whom;" as when it saith, "I have gotten a man by God," putting not the second cause, but the first; and again, "Is not the interpretation of them by God," and, "God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of His Son."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)