1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ*1:1 "Christ" means "Anointed One". through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 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.

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 speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you— 7 so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 Now I beg you, brothers,*1:10 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings." 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 has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 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 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name. 16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.) 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 is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.

I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing."✝1:19 Isaiah 29:14

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 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 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 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.

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 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 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 should boast before God. 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, as it is written, "He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."✝1:31 Jeremiah 9:24

1 Pauluselt, kelle Jeesus Kristus on Jumala tahtel kutsunud apostliks, ja meie vennalt Soosteneselt,

2 Korintoses asuvale Jumala kogudusele, Jeesuses Kristuses pühitsetuile, Jumala pühadele ning kõigile neile, kes mitmel pool appi hüüavad meie Issandat Jeesust Kristust:

3 Armu ja rahu teile Jumalalt, meie Isalt, ning Issandalt Jeesuselt Kristuselt!

4 Ma tänan alati oma Jumalat selle armu eest, mida ta on osutanud teile Jeesuses Kristuses, 5 kelles te olete rikkaks saanud igasuguses õpetuses ja tunnetuses, 6 kuivõrd Kristuselt saadav tunnistus on kinnitunud teie sees, 7 nii et teil pole puudu ühestki armuannist ja te ootate pikisilmi meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse tagasitulekut. 8 Tema hoiab teid tugevana lõpuni, et te oleksite laitmatud meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse päeval. 9 Ustav on Jumal, kes on kutsunud teid osadusse oma Poja Jeesuse Kristuse, meie Issandaga.

10 Vennad ja õed, ma palun teid, meie Issanda Jeesuse Kristuse pärast, et te kõik räägiksite ühtviisi ega oleks teie seas lõhesid ning te oleksite ühtsed meelsuse ja mõtteviisi poolest. 11 Sest ma olen Kloe pererahvalt kuulnud tülidest teie hulgas, mu vennad ja õed. 12 Pean silmas seda, et mõni teist ütleb: „Mina olen Pauluse poolt!" või „Mina olen Apollose poolt!" või „Mina olen Keefase*1:12 St Peetruse. poolt!" või „Mina olen Kristuse poolt!"

13 Kas Kristus on jagatud osadeks? Kas Paulus löödi risti teie eest? Või ristiti teid Pauluse nimesse? 14 Ma tänan Jumalat, et ma ei ole ristinud teie seast kedagi peale Krispuse ja Gaiuse. 15 Nii ei saa keegi öelda, nagu oleks teid ristitud minu nimesse. 16 Jah, tõesti, ma ristisin veel ka Stefanase pere, aga kedagi teist ma ei tea, et oleksin ristinud. 17 Sest Kristus ei saatnud mind ristima, vaid evangeeliumi kuulutama – ja seda mitte inimlikult targa kõnega, et Kristuse risti tähendust ei vähendataks.

18 Sest sõnum ristist on rumalus neile, kes hukkuvad, aga meile, kes päästetakse, on see Jumala vägi. 19 Sest kirjutatud on:

„Ma hävitan tarkade tarkuse

ja tühistan mõistlike mõistuse."

20 Kus on tark? Kus kirjatundja? Kus on selle ajastu filosoof? Eks Jumal ole pööranud maailma tarkuse rumaluseks! 21 Nõnda nagu Jumal oli tarkuses seadnud, et maailm oma tarkuses ei saa teda tunda, oli Jumala hea nõu rumaluse kuulutamise läbi päästa need, kes usuvad. 22 Sest kui juudid nõuavad tunnustähti ja kreeklased tarkust, 23 siis meie kuulutame ristilöödud Kristust, kes on komistuskivi juutidele ja rumalus teistele rahvastele. 24 Aga neile, keda Jumal on kutsunud, nii juutidele kui kreeklastele, on Kristus Jumala vägi ja Jumala tarkus. 25 Sest Jumala rumalus on targem kui inimeste tarkus ja Jumala nõtrus tugevam kui inimeste tugevus.

26 Ärge unustage, vennad ja õed, millistena Jumal teid kutsus. Ei olnud teie seas palju neid, kes inimlikus mõttes oleksid targad, vägevad või kõrgest soost. 27 Ent Jumal on valinud välja maailma meelest rumalad, et häbistada tarku, on valinud maailma meelest nõrgad, et häbistada tugevaid, 28 on valinud need, kes maailma meelest on madalast soost ja põlatud, lausa eimiski, et teha tühiseks need, kes midagi on. 29 Nii ei saa ükski inimene kiidelda Jumala ees. 30 Tänu temale olete teie nüüd Jeesuses Kristuses, kes on saanud meile tarkuseks Jumalalt ning õiguseks ja pühitsuseks ja lunastuseks, 31 et läheks täide, nagu on kirjutatud: „Kes kiitleb, see kiidelgu Issandast!"