1 Corinthians 1:21

1 Corinthians 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For 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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:21

19For 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.” 20Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom? For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. 22For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, 23but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense],

1 Corinthians 1:21 word by word

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• after thatἐπειδήepeidē · sinceG1894
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wisdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• notοὐou · noG3756
• it pleasedεὐδοκέωeudokeō · to delightG2106
• the foolishnessμωρίαmōria · foolishnessG3472
• of preachingκήρυγμαkērugma · preachingG2782
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• that believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:21

• 1 Corinthians 1:24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
• Daniel 2:20Daniel answered, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
• Romans 11:33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways!
• Ephesians 3:10So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom], that You have hidden these things [these spiritual truths] from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants [to new believers, to those seeking God’s will and purpose].
• Luke 10:21In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight.
• Romans 1:20For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense.
• 1 Corinthians 1:18For 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.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For after that in the wisdom of God - Dr. Lightfoot observes, "That , the wisdom of God, is not to be understood of that wisdom which had God for its author, but that wisdom which had God for its object. There was, among the heathen, , wisdom about natural things, that is, philosophy; and , wisdom about God; that is, divinity. But the world in its divinity could not, by wisdom, know God." The plain meaning of this verse is, that the wise men of the world…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For after that - ̓̀ epeidēSince, or seeing that it is true that the world by wisdom knew not God. After all the experience of the world it was ascertained that human beings would never by their own wisdom come to the true knowledge of God, and it pleased him to devise another plan for salvation. In the wisdom of God - This phrase is susceptible of two interpretations: (1) The first makes it refer to “the wisdom of God” evinced in the works of creation…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-25Verses 17-25 Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Human wisdom alone does not lead people to truly know God. This understanding comes only through the message of the cross. The world sees this message as foolish, but it saves those who believe (see Matthew 11:25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. after that--rather, "whereas." in the wisdom of God--in the wise arrangement of God. world by wisdom--rather, "by its wisdom," or "its philosophy" (Joh 1:10; Ro 1:28). knew not God--whatever other knowledge it attained (Ac 17:23, 27). The deistic theory that man can by the light of nature discover his duty to God, is disproved by the fact that man has never discovered it without revelation. All the stars and moon cannot make it day; that is the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:21

• Blindness
• Boasting
• Faith
• Gospel
• Philosophy
• Preaching
• Reasoning
• Salvation
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Wisdom of God
• Confirm
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Cross
• Disputer
• Foolishness
• Household
• Join

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings