1 Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and our brother Sosthenes:2 To God's church at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord-- theirs and ours.3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.4 I always thank my God for you because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus,5 that by Him you were made rich in everything-- in all speaking and all knowledge--6 as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.8 He will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful; by Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.10 Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction.11 For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by members of Chloe's household, that there are quarrels among you.12 What I am saying is this: each of you says, "I'm with Paul," or "I'm with Apollos," or "I'm with Cephas," or "I'm with Christ."13 Is Christ divided? Was it Paul who was crucified for you? Or were you baptized in Paul's name?14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one can say you had been baptized in my name.16 I did, in fact, baptize the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't know if I baptized anyone else.17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-- not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied *of its effect.18 For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God's power.19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts.20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolish?21 For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom,23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God's power and God's wisdom,25 because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.26 Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.27 Instead, God has chosen the world's foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world's weak things to shame the strong.28 God has chosen the world's insignificant and despised things-- the things viewed as nothing-- so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something,29 so that no one can boast in His presence.30 But from Him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.