1 Corinthians 1:17-31

17For Messiah sent me not to immerse, but to proclaim the Good News—not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Messiah would not be made of no effect.

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the intelligent.”

20Where is the wise one? Where is the Torah scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21For seeing that—in God’s wisdom—the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased—through the foolishness of the message proclaimed—to save those who believe.

22For Jewish people ask for signs and Greek people seek after wisdom,

23but we proclaim Messiah crucified—a stumbling block to Jewish people and foolishness to Gentile people,

24but to those who are called (both Jewish and Greek people), Messiah, the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For you see your calling, brothers and sisters, that not many are wise according to human standards, not many are powerful, and not many are born well.

27Yet God chose the foolish things of the world so He might put to shame the wise; and God chose the weak things of the world so He might put to shame the strong;

28and God chose the lowly and despised things of the world, the things that are as nothing, so He might bring to nothing the things that are—

29so that no human might boast before God.

30But because of Him you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and holiness and redemption—

31so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in Adonai.”