1 Corinthians

Addresses issues in the Corinthian church, teaching on unity, love, and resurrection.

Chapter 1

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

*Paul, chosen by God to share Jesus' message, and our fellow brother Sosthenes.

2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

*To the church in Corinth, who are holy in Jesus, called to be his followers, along with everyone else who calls on Jesus as Lord, belonging to us all.

3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

*May you have grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

*I always thank God for you, because through Jesus Christ, he gives you his grace.

5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;

*So that in everything, he makes you richer, including your speech and your understanding.

6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:

*Just like how the truth about Christ became proven in your life:

7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

*So that you don't miss out on any ability; patiently waiting for the arrival of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

*Who will make sure you stay strong until the end so you can be without fault on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

*God is reliable; He invited you to join His Son, Jesus Christ, in a partnership as our leader.

10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

*I ask you, my friends, using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree with each other and not have any disagreements. I want you to think alike and make decisions together.

11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

*Someone from the Chloe group told me, my fellow believers, that there are disagreements among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

*I say this: Each person claims to follow Paul, others follow Apollos, some follow Cephas, and all say they follow Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

*Is Jesus split apart? Was Paul killed for your sake? Or were you baptized using Paul's name?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;

*I am grateful to God that I didn't baptize any of you, only Crispus and Gaius.

15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

*So that no one can claim that I baptized in my own name.

16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

*I baptized Stephanas' family too. Plus, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.

17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

*Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to spread the good news; not using fancy words, so that the power of Christ's cross stays strong.

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

*For preaching about the cross seems silly to those who will be lost, but for those who are saved, it's God's strength.

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

*It's written that I will demolish the smartness of the intelligent people, and make the knowledge of the clever ones worthless.

20 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?

*Where are the smart people? where are the writers? where are those who argue about this world's matters? hasn't God shown that the world's wisdom is actually foolish?

21 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.

*After people didn't understand God through their own wisdom, God decided to save those who believe by using the simple message of preaching.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

*The Jews want a sign, and the Greeks look for wisdom.

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

*But we teach about Jesus being killed, which Jews find hard to understand and Greeks think is silly.

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

*But for those chosen ones, whether Jewish or Greek, it's Christ who brings God's strength and wisdom.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

*Because God's foolishness is smarter than people; and God's weakness is more powerful than people.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

*You can see, brothers, that not many smart people, not many powerful ones, and not many important people according to their bodies are chosen.

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

*But God has picked what's foolish in the world to make the smart people confused; and God has picked what's weak in the world to confuse the powerful things.

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

*God has chosen ordinary and disregarded things from the world, as well as non-existent things, in order to destroy what is important.

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

*So that nobody boasts in his presence.

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

*But because of him, you belong to Christ Jesus, who God has made into wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption for us.

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

*As it says in the writing, those who boast should do so in the Lord.

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