1 Corinthians 1:22

1 Corinthians 1:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
• New International Version (NIV)Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:22

20Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching. For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom, 23but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 24But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:22 word by word

ἐπειδὴ καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι σημεῖα αἰτοῦσιν καὶ Ἕλληνες σοφίαν ζητοῦσιν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forἐπειδήepeidē · sinceG1894
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• requireαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• a signσημεῖονsēmeion · signG4592
• the GreeksἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
• seekζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• after wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:22

• Matthew 12:38Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
• Matthew 16:1Now when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
• Mark 8:11Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for a sign from heaven to test him.
• Luke 11:16Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.
• John 2:18So then the Jewish leaders responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?”
• John 4:28Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people,
• Acts 17:18Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were asking, “What does this foolish babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.” (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22For the Jews require a sign - Instead of , a sign, ABCDEFG, several others, both the Syriac, Coptic, Vulgate, and Itala, with many of the fathers, have , signs; which reading, as undoubtedly genuine, Griesbach has admitted into the text. There never was a people in the universe more difficult to be persuaded of the truth than the Jews: and had not their religion been incontestably proved by the most striking and indubitable miracles, they never would have…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22For the Jews require a sign - A miracle, a prodigy, an evidence of divine interposition. This was the characteristic of the Jewish people. God had manifested himself to them by miracles and wonders in a remarkable manner in past times, and they greatly prided themselves on that fact, and always demanded it when any new messenger came to them, professing to be sent from God. This propensity they often evinced in their contact with the Lord Jesus; Matthew…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. 22Jews who did not believe wanted to see miracles to confirm the message (see Matthew 12:38–39; 16:1–4; John 2:18, 23; 4:48). Greeks, famous for their philosophy schools, were interested only in human wisdom, meaning philosophical reasoning.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. For--literally, "Since," seeing that. This verse illustrates how the "preaching" of Christ crucified came to be deemed "foolishness" (1Co 1:21). a sign--The oldest manuscripts read "signs." The singular was a later correction from Mt 12:38; 16:1; Joh 2:18. The signs the Jews craved for were not mere miracles, but direct tokens from heaven that Jesus was Messiah (Lu 11:16). Greeks seek ... wisdom--namely, a philosophic demonstration of Christianity…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:22

• Boasting
• Greece
• Greek
• Miracles
• Philosophy
• Reasoning
• Salvation
• Unbelief
• Wisdom
• Word of God

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