1 Corinthians 1:21

1 Corinthians 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
• New International Version (NIV)For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Context of 1 Corinthians 1:21

19As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” 20So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since 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. 23So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

1 Corinthians 1:21 word by word

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ κόσμος διὰ τῆς σοφίας τὸν θεόν, εὐδόκησεν ὁ θεὸς διὰ τῆς μωρίας τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• after thatἐπειδήepeidē · sinceG1894
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the wisdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• notοὐou · noG3756
• it pleasedεὐδοκέωeudokeō · to delightG2106
• the foolishnessμωρίαmōria · foolishnessG3472
• of preachingκήρυγμαkērugma · preachingG2782
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• that believeπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:21

• 1 Corinthians 1:24But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
• Daniel 2:20He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power.
• Romans 11:33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
• Ephesians 3:10God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
• Luke 10:21At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
• Romans 1:20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
• 1 Corinthians 1:18The 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.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For after that in the wisdom of God - Dr. Lightfoot observes, "That , the wisdom of God, is not to be understood of that wisdom which had God for its author, but that wisdom which had God for its object. There was, among the heathen, , wisdom about natural things, that is, philosophy; and , wisdom about God; that is, divinity. But the world in its divinity could not, by wisdom, know God." The plain meaning of this verse is, that the wise men of the world…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21For after that - ̓̀ epeidēSince, or seeing that it is true that the world by wisdom knew not God. After all the experience of the world it was ascertained that human beings would never by their own wisdom come to the true knowledge of God, and it pleased him to devise another plan for salvation. In the wisdom of God - This phrase is susceptible of two interpretations: (1) The first makes it refer to “the wisdom of God” evinced in the works of creation…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. 21Human wisdom alone does not lead people to truly know God. This understanding comes only through the message of the cross. The world sees this message as foolish, but it saves those who believe (see Matthew 11:25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. after that--rather, "whereas." in the wisdom of God--in the wise arrangement of God. world by wisdom--rather, "by its wisdom," or "its philosophy" (Joh 1:10; Ro 1:28). knew not God--whatever other knowledge it attained (Ac 17:23, 27). The deistic theory that man can by the light of nature discover his duty to God, is disproved by the fact that man has never discovered it without revelation. All the stars and moon cannot make it day; that is the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:21

• Blindness
• Boasting
• Faith
• Gospel
• Philosophy
• Preaching
• Reasoning
• Salvation
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

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

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