Tree of Life Version
1 Corinthians 1:18
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.
1 Corinthians 1:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
- New International Version (NIV)For 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For 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.
Context of 1 Corinthians 1:18
16(I also immersed the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t recall if I immersed anyone else.) 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. For 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?
Read all of 1 Corinthians 11 Corinthians 1:18 word by word
Ὁ λόγος γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν, τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις θεοῦ ἐστιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- the preachingλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of the crossσταυρόςstauros · crossG4716
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- that perishἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
- ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
- foolishnessμωρίαmōria · foolishnessG3472
- butδέde · thenG1161
- unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- which are savedσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
- the powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 1:18
- 1 Corinthians 1:23but we proclaim Messiah crucified—a stumbling block to Jewish people and foolishness to Gentile people,
- 1 Corinthians 2:2For I decided not to know about anything among you except Yeshua the Messiah—and Him crucified.
- Galatians 6:12Those wanting to look good outwardly are trying to force you to be circumcised—only so they will not be persecuted for the cross of Messiah.
- Acts 13:41‘Look, you scoffers, be amazed and vanish away. For I am doing a work in your days— a work you will never believe, even if someone tells it to you in detail.’”
- 2 Corinthians 2:15For we are the aroma of Messiah to God, among those who are being saved and those who are perishing—
- 2 Corinthians 4:3And even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10and with every kind of wicked deception toward those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 1:21For 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.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14Now a natural man does not accept the things of the Ruach Elohim, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written, “He catches the clever in their craftiness.”
- Acts 17:18Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What’s this babbler trying to say?” while others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities”—because he was proclaiming the Good News of Yeshua and the resurrection.
- 1 Corinthians 1:24but to those who are called (both Jewish and Greek people), Messiah, the power of God and the wisdom of God.
- 1 Corinthians 15:2and by it you are being saved if you hold firm to the word I proclaimed to you—unless you believed without proper consideration.
- Psalms 110:2Adonai will extend your mighty rod from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the tearing down of strongholds. We are tearing down false arguments
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For the preaching of the cross - ̔ ̔ , The doctrine of the cross; or the doctrine that is of or concerning the cross; that is, the doctrine that proclaims salvation to a lost world through the crucifixion of Christ. Is to them that perish foolishness - There are, properly speaking, but two classes of men known where the Gospel is preached: , the unbelievers and gainsayers, who are perishing; and , the obedient believers, who are in a state of salvation…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For the preaching of the cross - Greek, “the word ( ̔ ́ ho logos) of the cross;” that is, the doctrine of the cross; or the doctrine which proclaims salvation only through the atonement which the Lord Jesus Christ made on the cross, This cannot mean that the statement that Christ died “as a martyr” on a cross, appears to be foolishness to people; because, if that was all, there would be nothing that would appear contemptible, or that would excite their…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. 18To unbelievers, the idea that God saves the world through a condemned criminal seems foolish because they cannot see the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4). For believers, whom God has enlightened, the message of the cross feels true, and they recognize its power to touch the human heart (see 1 Corinthians 1:23–24; Romans 1:16). Unbelievers, still in their sins, are heading towards destruction and ultimate condemnation. Believers, whose sins are forgiven, are…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. preaching, &c.--literally, "the word," or speech as to the cross; in contrast to the "wisdom of words" (so called), 1Co 1:17. them that perish--rather, "them that are perishing," namely, by preferring human "wisdom of words" to the doctrine of the "cross of Christ." It is not the final state that is referred to; but, "them that are in the way of perishing." So also in 2Co 2:15, 16. us which are saved--In the Greek the collocation is more modest, "to…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 1:18
In the dictionaries
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
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