1 Corinthians 1

1 Corinthians · Chapter 1

1 Corinthians 1:17

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,2Unto 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:3Grace be unto 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 which is given you by Jesus Christ;5That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;6Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:7So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:8Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.10Now 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.11For 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.12Now 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.13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?14I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;15Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.16And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.17For 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.18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?21For 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.22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;24But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:27But 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;28And 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:29That no flesh should glory in his presence.30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
17For 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.For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
NotοὐouG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

sentἀπέστειλένapesteilenG0649
to send

ἀποστέλλω (apostellō) ἀπο-στέλλω, [in LXX very freq., almost always for שׁלח ;] prop., to send away, to dispatch on service; 1. to send with a commission, or on service; (a) of persons: Christ, Mat.10:40; the apostles, 10:16; servants, Mrk.12:2; angels, 13:27; …

meμεmeG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

ChristΧριστὸςChristosG5547
Christ

Χριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. …

to baptizeβαπτίζεινbaptizeinG0907
to baptize

βαπτίζω (baptizō) βαπτίζω (βάπτω), [in LXX: 4Ki.5:14 (טבל), Isa.21:4, Jdth.12:7, Sir.31 (34)30 * ;] to dip, immerse, sink; 1. generally (in Polyb., iii, 72, of soldiers wading breast-deep; in i, 51, of the sinking of ships); metaphorically, to overwhelm (Is, l.with; cf. MM, Exp., x); with cogn. accusative, βάπτισμα β., Mrk.10:38, 39 Luk.12:50. Mid., 2. to perform ablutions, wash oneself, bathe (Ki, Jth, Si, ll. with): Mrk.7:4; aor. pass, in same sense, Luk.11:38. 3 Of ablution, immersion, as a religious rite, to baptize; …

butἀλλ᾽all᾽G0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

to evangelise;εὐαγγελίζεσθαι·euangelizesthaiG2097
to speak good news

εὐαγγελίζομαι (euangelizomai) εὐαγγελίζω [in LXX for בָּשַׂר pi., hith.; for good news in general: 1Ki.31:9, al.; of God's loving kindness, Psa.40:10 96:2, and esp. of Messianic blessings, Isa.40:9 60:6, al. ;] to bring or announce glad tidings; 1. act. (only in late writers): with accusative of person(s), Rev.10:7; before ἐπί, with accusative of person(s), Rev.14:6; pass., of things, to be proclaimed as glad tidings: Luk.16:16, Gal.1:11, 1Pe.1:25; impers., 1Pe.4:6; of persons, to have glad tidings proclaimed to one: Mat.11:5, Luk.7:22, Heb.4:2, 6 …

notοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

wisdomσοφίᾳsophiaG4678
wisdom

σοφία (sophia) σοφία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for חׇכְמָה ;] skill, intelligence, wisdom, ranging from knowledge of the arts and matters of daily life to mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense; (a) of human wisdom: 1Co.2:1 2:4-5, Jas.3:15, Rev.13:18 17:9; σ. Σολομῶνος, Mat.12:42, Luk.11:31; Αἰγυπτίων, Act.7:22; Ἕλληνες σ. ζητοῦσιν, 1Co.1:22; σ. λόγου, 1Co.1:17; τ. σοφῶν, 1Co.1:19 (LXX); τ. κόσμου, 1Co.1:20-21 3:19; ἀνθρωπίνη, 1Co.2:13; σαρκική, 2Co.1:12; …

of discourse,λόγου,logouG3056
word

λόγος (logos) λόγος, -ου, ὁ (λέγω) [in LXX chiefly for דָּבָר, also for מִלָּה ,אֵמֶר, etc. ;] I. Of that by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio, sermo, vox, verbum. 1. a word, not in the grammatical sense of a mere name (ἔπος, ὄνομα, ῥῆμα), but a word as embodying a conception or idea: Mat.8:8, Luk.7:7, 1Co.14:9, 19 Heb.12:19, al. …

thatἵναinaG2443
in order that/to

ἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

may be emptied of powerκενωθῇkenōthēaG2758
to empty

κενόω (kenoō) κενόω, -ῶ (κενός, which see), [in LXX: Jer.14:2 15:9 (עָמָל pu.)* ;] to empty. Metaphorical, to empty, make empty, vain or of no effect: καύχημα, 1Co.9:15; ἑαυτόν, of Christ, Php.2:7 (v Lft.; ICC, in 1, and esp. Gifford, Incarn., 54 ff.); pass., πίστις, Rom.4:14; ὁ σταυρός, 1Co.1:17; καύχημα, 2Co.9:3† (AS)

crossσταυρὸςstaurosG4716
cross

σταυρός (stauros) σταυρός, -oῦ, ὁ 1. an upright pale or stake (Hom., Hdt., Thuc., al.) 2. In late writers (Diod., Plut., al.) of the Roman instrument of crucifixion, the Cross: of the Cross on which Christ suffered, Mat.27:32, 40 27:42, Mrk.15:21, 30 15:32, Luk.23:26, Jhn.19:17, 19 19:25, 31, Col.2:14, Heb.12:2; θάνατος σταυροῦ, Php.2:8; τ. αἷμα τοῦ σ., Col.1:20. Metaphorical, in proverbial sayings: αἴρειν (λαμβάνειν, βαστάζειν) τὸν σ., Mat.10:38 16:24, Mrk.8:34 10:21, 15:21, Luk.9:23 14:27 (for an interesting ex. of metaphorically use in π., see MM, xxiii) By meton., for Christ's death on the Cross: 1Co.1:17 …

Christ.Χριστοῦ.¶ChristouG5547
Christ

Χριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.