1 Corinthians 1:28

1 Corinthians 1:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
• New International Version (NIV)God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,
• English Standard Version (ESV)God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
• New King James Version (NKJV)and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:28

26Christian friends, remember the time when God called you to come to him. Think about what you were like. Not many of you were clever or powerful in the way that people think is good. Not many of you belonged to important families. 27Instead, God chose to use things that people think are silly. He did this so that clever people would be ashamed. Yes, God chose to use things that people think are weak. He did this so that powerful people would be ashamed. God chose to use things that people think are useless. People who belong to this world do not like those things. They think that they have no value. God did this so that the things that seem important would become unimportant. 29Because of all this, nobody can be proud of themselves in front of God. 30It is because of God's work that you now belong to Christ Jesus. As a result of Christ's death on the cross, we share in God's wise plan. Because we belong to Christ, God makes us right with himself. He makes us his own special people. He makes us free from the power of sin.

1 Corinthians 1:28 word by word

καὶ τὰ ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὰ ἐξουθενημένα ἐξελέξατο ὁ θεός, τὰ μὴ ὄντα, ἵνα τὰ ὄντα καταργήσῃ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• base thingsἀγενήςagenēs · lowlyG36
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• which are despisedἐξουθενέωexoutheneō · to rejectG1848
• hathἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• which areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notμήmē · notG3361
• toἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• bring to noughtκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:28

• Romans 4:17In the Bible, God said to Abraham, ‘I have chosen you to become the ancestor of many different people.’ That is what God himself promises, because Abraham believed in him. God is the one who causes dead people to become alive again. He speaks about things that are not yet there as if they were already there.
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I am speaking like a proud fool, but you have made me do it. You yourselves should be saying good things about me. I may not be important. But I am as good as those very special apostles.
• 1 Corinthians 2:6But we do speak about wise thoughts to those of you who know Christ very well. But those wise thoughts do not belong to this world. They are not the ideas that the rulers of this world think are important. Those rulers will not be powerful for long.
• Deuteronomy 28:63At one time, the Lord was happy to help you with good things. He gave you many children. But if you do not obey him, he will be happy to destroy you. He will remove you from the land that will soon become your new home.
• Job 34:19God created everyone. He is not more kind to important people than he is to other people. He does not help rich people more than he helps poor people.
• Psalms 32:10Wicked people will receive a lot of trouble and pain. But if anyone trusts in the Lord, they will know that God always loves them.
• Psalms 37:35I have seen cruel, wicked people become very powerful, like trees that grow well in good soil.
• Isaiah 2:11The Lord will bring proud people down low. People who boast will have to stop. On that day, people will see that only the Lord is great.
• Isaiah 17:13But it does not matter how much noise they make. Those people may roar like powerful waves, but the Lord will shout at them to stop. Then they will run far away! They will run like the wind as it blows chaff across the hills. It will be like a strong storm that carries away dead weeds!
• Isaiah 37:36Then the Lord's angel went to the camp of the Assyrian army. He killed 185,000 of their soldiers. When people got up in the morning, they saw all those dead bodies!
• Isaiah 41:12Even if you look for your enemies, you will not find them. They will all disappear!
• Daniel 2:34While you looked, someone cut out a large stone from a mountain. But no human hand did this. The stone hit the statue on its iron and clay feet. The stone broke them into pieces.
• Revelation 18:17But in one single hour God has destroyed all those valuable things.’ All the sailors and the people who travel on ships will also be sad. They include every ship's captain, and everyone who works on ships on the sea. They will stand a long way from the city.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28And base things - and things which are despised - It is very likely that the apostle refers here to the Gentiles and to the Gentile converts, who were considered base and despicable in the eyes of the Jews, who counted them no better than dogs, and who are repeatedly called the things that are not. By these very people, converted to Christianity, God has brought to nought all the Jewish pretensions; and by means of the Gentiles themselves, he has…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28And base things of the world - Those things which by the world are esteemed ignoble. Literally, those which are not of noble, or illustrious birth ̀ ̓͂ ta ageiēThings which are despised - Those which the world regards as objects of contempt; compare Mark 9:12; Luke 18:19; Acts 4:11. Yea - The introduction of this word by the translators does nothing to illustrate the sense, but rather enfeebles it. The language here is a striking instance of Paul‘s…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-31Verses 26-31 God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth, and power, and interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. He best judges what men and what measures serve the purposes of his glory. Though not many noble are usually called by Divine grace, there have been some such in every age, who have not been ashamed of the gospel of Christ; and persons of every rank stand in need of pardoning grace…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27-29God chose humble and overlooked people to show his judgment on human pride (see Romans 3:27; 4:2; 2 Corinthians 4:7–11; 12:8–10; Ephesians 2:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. yea, and things which are not--Yea is not in the Greek. Also some of the oldest manuscripts omit "and." Thus the clause, "things which are not" (are regarded as naught), is in apposition with "foolish ... weak ... base (that is, lowborn) and despised things." God has chosen all four, though regarded as things that are not, to bring to naught things that are.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:28

• Agency
• Boasting
• Humility
• Minister, Christian
• Power
• Preaching
• Predestination
• Reasoning

In the dictionaries

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

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