Greetings from Paul and Sosthenes (Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)
1 UEB Paul, called by Christ Jesus to be an apostle by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, BSB BSB: Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2 UEB to the church of God at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, who are called to be holy people. We are also writing to all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours. BSB BSB: To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3 UEB May grace and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving (Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians 1:3–14)
4 UEB I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace of God that Christ Jesus gave to you. BSB BSB: I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
5 UEB He has made you rich in every way, in all speech and with all knowledge, BSB BSB: For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge,
6 UEB just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed as true among you. BSB BSB: because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
7 UEB Therefore you lack no spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8 UEB He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 UEB God is faithful, who called you into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. BSB BSB: God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
Unity in the Church (Psalm 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)
11 UEB For it has been made clear to me, my brothers, by Chloe's people that there are factions among you. BSB BSB: My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
12 UEB I mean this: Each one of you says, "I am with Paul," or "I am with Apollos," or "I am with Cephas," or "I am with Christ." BSB BSB: What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
13 UEB Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? BSB BSB: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14 UEB I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius. BSB BSB: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 UEB This was so that no one would say that you were baptized into my name. BSB BSB: so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
16 UEB (I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know if I baptized any others.) BSB BSB: Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
17 UEB For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel. He did not send me to preach with words of human wisdom, so that the cross of Christ should not be emptied of its power. BSB BSB: 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.
The Message of the Cross 19 UEB For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will frustrate the understanding of the intelligent." BSB BSB: For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
21 UEB Since the world in its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. BSB BSB: For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
22 UEB For Jews ask for miraculous signs and Greeks seek wisdom. BSB BSB: Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
24 UEB But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ as the power and the wisdom of God. BSB BSB: but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 UEB For the foolishness of God is wiser than people, and the weakness of God is stronger than people. BSB BSB: For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
Wisdom from God 26 UEB Look at your calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many of you were powerful. Not many of you were of noble birth. BSB BSB: Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.
27 UEB But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame what is strong. BSB BSB: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28 UEB God chose what is low and despised in the world. He even chose things that are regarded as nothing, to bring to nothing things that are held as valuable. BSB BSB: He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
29 UEB He did this so that no one would have a reason to boast before him. BSB BSB: so that no one may boast in His presence.
30 UEB Because of what God did, now you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God. He became our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. BSB BSB: It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
31 UEB As a result, as scripture says, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." BSB BSB: Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
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