1 Corinthians 1:26

1 Corinthians 1:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
• New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:26

24But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. 27But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,

1 Corinthians 1:26 word by word

Βλέπετε γὰρ τὴν κλῆσιν ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, οὐ πολλοὶ δυνατοί, οὐ πολλοὶ εὐγενεῖς,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ye seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• callingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• callingκλῆσιςklēsis · callingG2821
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• how thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• notοὐou · noG3756
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• wise menσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• mightyδυνατόςdunatos · ableG1415
• nobleεὐγενήςeugenēs · of noble birthG2104

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:26

• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where 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?
• 1 Corinthians 2:3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise.
• Zephaniah 3:12I will leave in your midst a humble and meek group of people, and they will find safety in the Lord’s presence.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.
• Luke 10:21On that same occasion Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.
• John 7:47Then the Pharisees answered, “You haven’t been deceived too, have you?
• James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.
• Luke 1:3So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
• Luke 18:24When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
• John 4:46Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick.
• John 19:38After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away.
• Acts 13:7who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
• Acts 17:34But some people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
• Philippians 4:22All the saints greet you, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.
• James 1:9Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Ye see your calling - . The state of grace and blessedness to which ye are invited. I think, , etc., should be read in the imperative: Take heed to, or consider your calling, brethren; that (̔ ) not many of you are wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble: men is not in the original, and Paul seems to allude to the Corinthian believers in particular. This seems to have been said in opposition to the high and worldly notions of the Jews, who…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26For ye see your calling - You know the general character and condition of those who are Christians among you, that they have not been generally taken from the wise, the rich, and the learned, but from humble life. The design of the apostle here is, to show that the gospel did not depend for its success on human wisdom. His argument is, that “in fact” those who were blessed by it had not been of the elevated ranks of life mainly, but that God had shown his…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. 26Socially and culturally, most Corinthian Christians were ordinary people. Few were among the elite (compare Matthew 11:25). Only a few Christians, such as Erastus, the city treasurer in Corinth (see Romans 16:23), were wealthy or high born (compare James 2:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. ye see--rather, from the prominence of the verb in the Greek, "see" or "consider" (imperative) [Alford from Vulgate and Irenæus]. your calling ... are called--Instead of the words in italics, supplied by English Version, supply, "were your callers." What Paul is dwelling on (compare 1Co 1:27, 28) is the weakness of the instrumentality which the Lord employed to convert the world [Hinds and Whately; so Anselm]. However, English Version accords well…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:26

• Agency
• Boasting
• Power
• Predestination
• Reasoning
• Righteous
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

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

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