1 Corinthians 1:18-19,25
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21 The Message (MSG)
The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as shams. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 The Message (MSG)
While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so cheap, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 King James Version (KJV)
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1 Corinthians 1:25 King James Version (KJV)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 New Century Version (NCV)
The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It is written in the Scriptures: “I will cause the wise to lose their wisdom; I will make the wise unable to understand.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 New Century Version (NCV)
Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 American Standard Version (ASV)
For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
1 Corinthians 1:25 American Standard Version (ASV)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 New International Version (NIV)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 New International Version (NIV)
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 New King James Version (NKJV)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
I Corinthians 1:25 New King James Version (NKJV)
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 Amplified Bible (AMP)
For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. For it is written and forever remains written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE [the philosophy of the philosophers], AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER [who do not know Me] I WILL NULLIFY.” [Is 29:14]
1 Corinthians 1:25 Amplified Bible (AMP)
[This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 New Living Translation (NLT)
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 New Living Translation (NLT)
This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 The Passion Translation (TPT)
To preach the message of the cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are being saved, it is the mighty power of God released within us. For it is written: I will dismantle the wisdom of the wise and I will invalidate the intelligence of the scholars.
1 Corinthians 1:25 The Passion Translation (TPT)
For the “foolish” things of God have proven to be wiser than human wisdom. And the “feeble” things of God have proven to be far more powerful than any human ability.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
