1 Corinthians 1

1 Paul [a Roman apostle, originally named Saul], called [invited by God, for a special purpose] to be an apostle [a delegate or messenger] of Christ Jesus [the anointed Messiah, God’s salvation] by the will [desire, intention] of God [the one true deity], and our brother [fellow Christian, male sibling] Sosthenes [a leader in the early church], word study 2 To the church [assembly, community of believers] of God [the one true deity, Creator of all] in Corinth, to those sanctified [made holy, set apart] in Christ Jesus [the anointed Messiah, Savior] and called [invited, chosen] to be holy [saints, set apart for God’s purpose], together with all those everywhere [in every place, throughout the world] who call on the name [invoke, appeal to] of our Lord Jesus Christ [the supreme authority, God’s Son], their Lord and ours [our shared Master, God’s appointed ruler]: word study 3 Grace [unmerited favor, divine influence] and peace [harmony, prosperity, freedom from war] to you [as individuals, directly addressed] from God [the one true deity, our heavenly Father] our Father [the male parent, creator, and sustainer] and the Lord [the supreme authority, master] Jesus Christ [the anointed one, God’s salvation]. word study 4 I always [at all times, continually] thank my God [the one true deity] for you because of the [divine, gracious] grace He has given [bestowed, granted] you in [through, united with] Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] Jesus [God is salvation]. word study 5 For in Him [through your union with Christ] you have been enriched [made spiritually wealthy, given abundant resources] in every way [in all aspects of life], in all speech [utterance, communication, and expression] and all knowledge [spiritual understanding, insight, and discernment], word study 6 because our testimony [witness, confirmation] about Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] was confirmed [established, made certain] in you [among your community, to your hearts]. word study 7 Therefore [as a result, so] you do not lack [fall short, are not inferior] any spiritual [divine, from the Holy Spirit] gift [gratuity, endowment] as you eagerly [with expectation, waiting] await [expect, look for] the revelation [disclosure, unveiling] of our Lord [Master, Savior] Jesus [God’s salvation] Christ [the Anointed One]. word study 8 He will sustain [give strength to, confirm] you to the end [goal, conclusion], so that you will be [remain, stand] blameless [irreproachable, unaccusable] on the day [time, period] of our Lord [Master, God] Jesus [God’s salvation] Christ [the Anointed One]. word study 9 God [faithful and trustworthy], who has called [invited, summoned] you into [toward, for the purpose of] fellowship [partnership] with His Son [child] Jesus Christ [the anointed] our Lord [master], is faithful [reliable, dependable]. word study 10 I appeal [plead, comfort] to you, brothers [fellow believers, siblings in Christ], in the name [authority, character] of our Lord [Master, God] Jesus Christ [the Anointed One, God’s salvation], that all [every single one] of you agree [speak the same thing, be united] together, so that there may be no [absolutely no] divisions [splits, separations] among you and that you may be united [perfectly joined, complete] in mind [intellect, understanding] and conviction [resolution, judgment]. word study 11 My brothers [fellow believers, brethren], some from Chloe’s [tender shoot, green foliage] household have informed [signified, declared] me that there are [exist, present] quarrels [contentions, strife] among [in, on] you [your midst]. word study 12 What I mean is this: Individuals [some of you, certain ones among you] among you are saying, “I follow [am loyal to, am a disciple of] Paul [the apostle, originally named Saul],” “I follow [am a follower of, belong to] Apollos [a Jewish Christian leader],” “I follow [am devoted to, am a partisan of] Cephas [Peter, the Rock, a surname of one of Jesus’ apostles],” or “I follow [am committed to, am a servant of] Christ [the Anointed One, the Messiah].” word study 13 Is Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] divided [separated, split apart]? Was Paul [the apostle, originally Saul] crucified [nailed to the cross, impaled] for you [on your behalf, in your place]? Were you baptized [immersed, fully wet] into the name [character, authority] of Paul [as his followers, in his honor]? word study 14 I thank [express gratitude to, praise] God [the one true deity] that I did not [none, never] baptize [immerse in water] any of you except [but, save] Crispus [a Corinthian leader, a believer] and Gaius [a Christian, a disciple], word study 15 so no one [any person, anyone] can say [declare, claim] that you were baptized [immersed, fully wet] into my name [my authority, my character]. word study 16 Yes, I also [additionally, beyond that] baptized [fully immersed in water] the household [family, those belonging to the house] of Stephanas [a faithful follower of Jesus]; beyond that [furthermore, in addition] I do not remember [have no knowledge or recollection] if I baptized [immersed, as an act of obedience] anyone else [another person, someone different]. word study 17 For Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize [immerse in water], but to preach [proclaim, announce] the gospel [good news of salvation], not with words [messages, speeches] of wisdom [spiritual understanding, discernment], lest [in order that not, so that not] the cross [instrument of sacrifice] of Christ [the Anointed One] be emptied [made void, deprived of power] of its power [effectiveness, authority]. word study 18 For the message [word, preaching, or proclamation] of the cross [the instrument of execution] is foolishness [silliness, absurdity, or nonsense] to those who are perishing [being destroyed, lost, or dying], but to us who are being saved [rescued, delivered, or preserved] it is the power [miraculous ability or strength] of God [the one true deity, Creator, and Savior]. word study 19 For [as a reason, because] it is written [in Scripture]: “I will [completely, utterly] destroy [ruin] the wisdom [spiritual understanding] of the wise [those with good judgment]; the intelligence [discernment] of the intelligent [prudent ones] I will [completely] frustrate [reject].” word study 20 Where is the wise [intelligent, discerning] man? Where is the scribe [scholar, teacher of the law]? Where is the philosopher [debater, disputer] of this age [time, era]? Has not God [the supreme Deity] made foolish [senseless, without wisdom] the wisdom [higher understanding, spiritual insight] of the world [earthly realm, human society]? word study 21 For since [in view of the fact that] in the wisdom [higher or spiritual understanding] of God the world [the orderly arrangement of human affairs] through its wisdom [human knowledge and insight] did not know [recognize or understand] Him, God was pleased [delighted, thought well of] through the foolishness [silly or absurd behavior] of what was preached [the proclamation of the gospel] to save [rescue, deliver from harm] those who believe [trust in, have faith in]. word study 22 Jews [from the tribe of Judah, people of Jewish descent] demand [ask for, require] signs [miraculous tokens, supernatural indications] and [also, additionally] Greeks [non-Jewish people, Gentiles] search [look for, seek after] for wisdom [higher understanding, spiritual insight], word study 23 but we [as messengers of God] preach Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] crucified [nailed to the cross, executed], a stumbling block [a rock of offense, a trap-stick] to Jews [people of Judah, Israelites] and foolishness [silly, absurd behavior] to Gentiles [non-Jews, Greeks, foreigners], word study 24 but to those who are [specifically, divinely] called, both Jews [from the tribe of Judah] and Greeks [Gentiles, non-Jews], Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] the power [miraculous ability] of God [the one true deity] and the wisdom [spiritual understanding] of God. word study 25 For the foolishness [what seems foolish, lacking wisdom] of God [the one true deity] is wiser [having good judgment, skilled] than man’s [human, mortal] wisdom, and the weakness [feebleness, lack of strength] of God is stronger [more powerful, mighty] than man’s [human, mortal] strength. word study 26 Brothers [brethren, fellow believers], consider [behold, remember] the time of your calling [invitation to salvation]: Not many of you were wise [intelligent, discerning] by human standards [according to the flesh]; not many were powerful [able, strong]; not many were of noble birth [high-ranking, generous]. word study 27 But God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] chose the foolish [senseless, lacking wisdom] things of the world [the earthly realm] to shame [bring to dishonor, humiliate] the wise [intelligent, discerning]; God chose the weak [feeble, lacking strength] things of the world [the human sphere, society] to shame [put to shame, disgrace] the strong [powerful, mighty]. word study 28 He chose the lowly [humble, of unknown descent] and despised [rejected, treated with contempt] things of the world [the earthly realm, human society], and the things that are not [do not exist, are insignificant], to nullify [bring to nothing, make useless] the things that are [exist, have being], word study 29 so that [in order that, to prevent] no one [no flesh, nobody] may boast [glory, take pride] in His [God’s, the Lord’s] presence [before Him, in His sight]. word study 30 It is because of Him [the Father, God] that you are in Christ Jesus [the Messiah, the Anointed One], who has become for us [as a gift, through faith] wisdom [spiritual understanding, discernment] from God [the Father, the source of all wisdom]: our righteousness [justification, being made right with God], holiness [sanctification, being set apart], and redemption [freedom from sin, salvation]. word study 31 Therefore, as [just as, in the same way] it is written: “Let him who boasts [glories, takes pride] boast [glory, rejoice] in the Lord [God, the supreme Master].” word study