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 Living Translation (NLT)Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:26

24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28and 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,

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? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
• 1 Corinthians 2:3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
• Zephaniah 3:12I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
• Luke 10:21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
• John 7:47Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived?
• James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
• Luke 1:3it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
• Luke 18:24And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
• John 4:46So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
• John 19:38After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.
• Acts 13:7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
• Acts 17:34However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
• Philippians 4:22All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
• James 1:9Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

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