1 Corinthians 1:19

1 Corinthians 1:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
• New International Version (NIV)For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
• New King James Version (NKJV)For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:19

17Christ did not send me to baptize people. But he did send me to tell God's good news to people. When I speak his message, I do not use clever words. It is Christ's death on the cross that has power to save people. I do not want to spoil that power with clever words. 18Some people think that the message about Christ's death on the cross is silly. Those people are destroying themselves. But it is different for us, the people that God is saving. The message about the cross shows us God's power to save us. It says in the Bible: ‘I, God, will destroy all the clever thoughts of wise people. I will show that their clever ideas are useless.’ 20So the wise people in this world are not really important. The clever teachers of God's Law are not really important. People who know how to argue well are not really important. God has shown that the wise ideas that belong to this world have no value. 21God himself is wise. He has decided that people cannot know him just because they are wise in their own way. Instead, God uses the message about Jesus to save people. That message may seem to be silly to some people. But when we tell it to people, God saves them if they believe it.

1 Corinthians 1:19 word by word

γέγραπται γάρ· ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν, καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν ἀθετήσω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• I will destroyἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• the wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• of the wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• will bring to nothingἀθετέωatheteō · to rejectG114
• the understandingσύνεσιςsunesis · understandingG4907
• of the prudentσυνετόςsunetos · intelligentG4908

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:19

• 1 Corinthians 3:19People in this world think that some people are wise. But God thinks that those wise people are fools. It says in the Bible: ‘God causes the clever thoughts of wise people to confuse them.’
• Job 5:12He stops the ideas of clever people. They cannot do what they want to do.
• Isaiah 19:3The Egyptians will become afraid, so that they do not know what to do. They will ask for help from their idols. They will ask the spirits of dead people to tell them what to do. They will ask magicians to talk to those spirits on their behalf.
• Isaiah 29:14So now I will surprise these people again. I will surprise them with great miracles! Wise people will not seem wise any more. Clever people will no longer seem to be clever.’
• Jeremiah 8:9Those wise teachers will be ashamed and upset. Enemies will catch them as their prisoners. They have refused to accept the Lord's message. So they are not really wise.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19For it is written - The place referred to is Isaiah 29:14. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise - , Of wise men - of the philosophers who in their investigations seek nothing less than God, and whose highest discoveries amount to nothing in comparison of the grand truths relative to God, the invisible world, and the true end of man, which the Gospel has brought to light. Let me add, that the very discoveries which are really useful have been made by men…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19For it is written - This passage is quoted from Isaiah 29:14. The Hebrew of the passage, as rendered in the English version is, “the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” The version of the Septuagint is, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent I will hide” ́ krupsōcorresponding substantially with the quotation by Paul. The sense in the Hebrew is not…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. 19This quote from Isaiah 29:14 shows how God views human wisdom.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. I will destroy--slightly altered from the Septuagint, Is 29:14. The Hebrew is, "The wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Paul by inspiration gives the sense of the Spirit, by making God the cause of their wisdom perishing, &c., "I will destroy," &c. understanding of the prudent--literally, "of the understanding ones."Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:19

• Boasting
• Philosophy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Reasoning
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Confirm
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Cross
• Disputer
• Foolishness
• Household
• Join
• Preach
• Revelation of Christ
• Wisdom

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