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1 Corinthians 1:18-27 NWT
. . .For the speech about the torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is God's power. 19 For it is written: "I will make the wisdom of the wise [men] perish, and the intelligence of the intellectual [men] I will shove aside." 20 Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this system of things? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not get to know God, God saw good through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing. 22 For both the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks look for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ impaled, to the Jews a cause for stumbling but to the nations foolishness; 24 however, to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men. 26 For YOU behold his calling of YOU, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put the strong things to shame. . .
1 Corinthians 1:18-27 GNB
(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.
(19) The scripture says, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the scholars."
(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!
(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.
(22) Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom.
(23) As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles;
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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 Corinthians 1:18-27 YLT
(18) for the word of the cross to those indeed perishing is foolishness, and to us--those being saved--it is the power of God,
(19) for it hath been written, `I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nought;'
(20) where is the wise? where the scribe? where a disputer of this age? did not God make foolish the wisdom of this world?
(21) for, seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom knew not God, it did please God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.
(22) Since also Jews ask a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,
(23) also we--we preach Christ crucified, to Jews, indeed, a stumbling-block, and to Greeks foolishness,
(24) and to those called--both Jews and Greeks--Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God,
(25) because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;
(26) for see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
(27) but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong;
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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:
ALT - Analytical Literal Translation
ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
KJV - King James Version
MKJV - Modern King James Version
NWT - New World Translation
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
RV - Revised Version
YLT - Young's Literal Translation