1 Corinthians, 1

1. Paul, called [to be] an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes [our] brother,

1. From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and from Sosthenes, our brother,

2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

2. to God's Church which is in Corinth; to you whom God has sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with those who everywhere call upon the name of our Lord Christ Jesus, their Lord and ours.

3. Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Receive grace and peace from God our Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

4. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

4. I give thanks constantly to my God for you and for the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus.

5. That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and [in] all knowledge;

5. For you have been fully enriched in him with words as well as with knowledge,

6. Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

6. even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you.

7. So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

7. You do not lack any spiritual gift and only await the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

8. Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8. He will keep you steadfast to the end, and you will be without reproach on the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus.

9. God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

9. The faithful God will not fail you after calling you to this fellowship with his Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

10. I beg of you, brothers, in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord, to agree among yourselves and do away with divisions; please be perfectly united, with one mind and one judgment.

11. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

11. For I heard from people of Cloe's house about your rivalries.

12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

12. What I mean is this: some say, "I am for Paul," and others: "I am for Apollo," or "I am for Peter," or "I am for Christ."

13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

13. Is Christ divided or have I, Paul, been crucified for you? Have you been baptized in the name of Paul?

14. I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

14. I thank God that I did not baptize any of you, except Crispus and Gaius,

15. Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

15. so that no one can say that he was baptized in my name.

16. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

16. Well, I have also baptized the Stephanas family. Apart from these, I do not recall having baptized anyone else.

17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

17. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim his Gospel. And not with beautiful words! That would be like getting rid of the cross of Christ.

18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

18. The language of the cross remains nonsense for those who are lost. Yet for us who are saved, it is the power of God,

19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

19. as Scripture says: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and make fail the foresight of the foresighted.

20. Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

20. Masters of human wisdom, educated people, philosophers, you have no reply! And the wisdom of this world? God let it fail.

21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

21. At first God spoke the language of wisdom, and the world did not know God through wisdom. Then God thought of saving the believers through the foolishness that we preach.

22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

22. The Jews ask for miracles and the Greeks for a higher knowledge,

23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

23. while we proclaim a crucified Messiah. For the Jews, what a great scandal! And for the Greeks, what nonsense!

24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

24. But he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God for those called by God among both Jews and Greeks.

25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

25. In reality, the "foolishness" of God is wiser than humans, and the "weakness" of God is stronger than humans.

26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:

26. Brothers and sisters, look and see whom God has called. Few among you can be said to be cultured or wealthy, and few belong to noble families.

27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

27. Yet God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong.

28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

28. God has chosen common and unimportant people, making use of what is nothing to nullify the things that are,

29. That no flesh should glory in his presence.

29. so that no mortal may boast before God.

30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

30. But, by God's grace you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom from God, and who makes us just and holy and free.

31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

31. Scripture says: Let the one who boasts boast of the Lord.