[1:18] For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.
[1:19] The scripture says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars.”
[1:20] So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world's wisdom is foolishness!
[1:21] For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called “foolish” message we preach, God decided to save those who believe.
[1:22] Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom.
[1:23] As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;
[1:24] but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
[1:25] For what seems to be God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
[1:26] Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing.
[1:27] God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful.
[1:28] He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.
[1:29] This means that no one can boast in God's presence.
[1:30] But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free.
[1:31] So then, as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.”