1 Corinthians 1:20

1 Corinthians 1:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
• New International Version (NIV)Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:20

18The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:20 word by word

ποῦ σοφός; ποῦ γραμματεύς; ποῦ συζητητὴς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου; οὐχὶ ἐμώρανεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμουRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereποῦpou · where?G4226
• the wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• the scribeγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
• the disputerσυζητητήςsuzētētēs · debaterG4804
• of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• worldὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• worldαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
• hath notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• made foolishμωραίνωmōrainō · be foolishG3471
• the wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:20

• Isaiah 33:18You will think back to this time of terror, asking, “Where are the Assyrian officers who counted our towers? Where are the bookkeepers who recorded the plunder taken from our fallen city?”
• Isaiah 53:1Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
• 1 Corinthians 1:19As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
• 2 Samuel 15:31When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.
• 2 Samuel 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
• Job 12:17He leads counselors away, stripped of good judgment; wise judges become fools.
• Isaiah 44:25I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune-tellers. I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools.
• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Where is the wise - the scribe - the disputer of this world? - These words most manifestly refer to the Jews; as the places ( Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 33:18; Isaiah 44:25;) to which he refers cannot be understood of any but the Jews. The wise man , of the apostle, is the חכם chakam ; whose office it was to teach others. The scribe, , of the apostle, is the ספר sopher ; this signifies any man of learning, as distinguished from the common people, especially any…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Where is the wise? - Language similar to this occurs in Isaiah 33:18, “Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?” Without designing to quote these words as having an original reference to the subject now under consideration, Paul uses them as any man does language where he finds words with which he or his readers are familiar, that will convey his meaning. A man familiar with the Bible, will naturally often make use…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. 20In God's view, human wisdom based only on the world's knowledge and expectation is foolish. True wisdom comes from the message of the cross and Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Where--nowhere; for God "brings them to naught" (1Co 1:19). the wise--generally. the scribe--Jewish [Alford]. the disputer--Greek [Alford]. Compare the Jew and Greek of this world contrasted with the godly wise, 1Co 1:22, 23. Vitringa thinks the reference is to the Jewish discourses in the synagogue, daraschoth, from a Hebrew root "to dispute." Compare "questions," Ac 26:3; Tit 3:9. If so, "wise" refers to Greek wisdom (compare 1Co 1:22). Paul applies…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:20

• Blindness
• Boasting
• Reasoning
• Wisdom

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