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1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 MWT (21) For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by Christ's message that is called "foolish" by this world, 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 Christ crucified, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles; (24) but for those whom God has called, (John 6:44) both Jews and Gentiles, this message is from Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. (25) For what some view as God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what they consider 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. (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. (29) This is so no one can boast in God's presence. (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. (31) So then, as the scripture says, "Whoever wants to boast must boast of what Almighty God has done." 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 MWT (1) When I came to you, my friends, to preach God's secret truth, I did not use big words and great learning. (2) For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross [or stake]. (3) So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled with fear, (4) and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit [the miracles done by Christ]. (5) Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power. (6) Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world---powers that are soon to be gone. (Psa 37:10-11) (7) The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, (Rom 16:25-27; Eph 1:8-10) which is hidden from the wicked, but revealed in those gaining the wisdom [salvation in Christ] God had already chosen to use for our glory even before the world was made. (8) None of the rulers of this world knew this wisdom. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9) But just as the scriptures say: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” (Isa 64:4-5) (10) But it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit, through the words of his son Jesus. (John 6:63) The Spirit [gained through Christ's words] searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes.
1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 GNB (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. (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. (29) This means that no one can boast in God's presence. (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. (31) So then, as the scripture says, "Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done." 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 GNB (1) When I came to you, my friends, to preach God's secret truth, I did not use big words and great learning. (2) For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross. (3) So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear, (4) and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit. (5) Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God's power. (6) Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world---powers that are losing their power. (7) The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made. (8) None of the rulers of this world knew this wisdom. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9) However, as the scripture says, "What no one ever saw or heard, what no one ever thought could happen, is the very thing God prepared for those who love him." (10) But it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes.
1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 GW (21) The world with its wisdom was unable to recognize God in terms of his own wisdom. So God decided to use the nonsense of the Good News we speak to save those who believe. (22) Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, (23) but our message is that Christ was crucified. This offends Jewish people and makes no sense to people who are not Jewish. (24) But to those Jews and Greeks who are called, he is Christ, God's power and God's wisdom. (25) God's nonsense is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. (26) Brothers and sisters, consider what you were when God called you to be Christians. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view. You were not in powerful positions or in the upper social classes. (27) But God chose what the world considers nonsense to put wise people to shame. God chose what the world considers weak to put what is strong to shame. (28) God chose what the world considers ordinary and what it despises-what it considers to be nothing-in order to destroy what it considers to be something. (29) As a result, no one can brag in God's presence. (30) You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our holiness, and our ransom from sin. (31) As Scripture says, "Whoever brags must brag about what the Lord has done." 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 GW (1) Brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I didn't speak about God's mystery as if it were some kind of brilliant message or wisdom. (2) While I was with you, I decided to deal with only one subject-Jesus Christ, who was crucified. (3) When I came to you, I was weak. I was afraid and very nervous. (4) I didn't speak my message with persuasive intellectual arguments. I spoke my message with a show of spiritual power (5) so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God's power. (6) However, we do use wisdom to speak to those who are mature. It is a wisdom that doesn't belong to this world or to the rulers of this world who are in power today and gone tomorrow. (7) We speak about the mystery of God's wisdom. It is a wisdom that has been hidden, which God had planned for our glory before the world began. (8) Not one of the rulers of this world has known it. If they had, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory. (9) But as Scripture says: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him." (10) God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 BBE (21) For because, by the purpose of God, the world, with all its wisdom, had not the knowledge of God, it was God's pleasure, by so foolish a thing as preaching, to give salvation to those who had faith in him. (22) Seeing that the Jews make request for signs, and the Greeks are looking for knowledge: (23) But we give the good news of Christ on the cross, a hard thing to the Jews, and a foolish thing to the Gentiles; (24) But to those of God's selection, Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power and the wisdom of God. (25) Because what seems foolish in God is wiser than men; and what seems feeble in God is stronger than men. (26) For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble: (27) But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong; (28) And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are: (29) So that no flesh might have glory before God. (30) But God has given you a place in Christ Jesus, through whom God has given us wisdom and righteousness and salvation, and made us holy: (31) So that, as it is said in the holy Writings, Whoever has a desire for glory, let his glory be in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 BBE (1) And when I came to you, my brothers, I did not come with wise words of knowledge, putting before you the secret of God. (2) For I had made the decision to have knowledge of nothing among you but only of Jesus Christ on the cross. (3) And I was with you without strength, in fear and in doubt. (4) And in my preaching there were no honeyed words of wisdom, but I was dependent on the power of the Spirit to make it clear to you: (5) So that your faith might be based not on man's wisdom but on the power of God. (6) But still we have wisdom for those who are complete in knowledge, though not the wisdom of this world, and not of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing: (7) But we give the news of the secret wisdom of God, which he had kept in store before the world came into existence, for our glory; (8) Of which not one of the rulers of this world had knowledge: for if they had, they would not have put the Lord of glory on the cross: (9) But as it says in the holy Writings, Things which the eye saw not, and which had not come to the ears or into the heart of man, such things as God has made ready for those who have love for him. (10) But God has given us the revelation of these things through his Spirit, for the Spirit makes search into all things, even the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 NWT 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; 28 and God chose the ignoble things of the world and the things looked down upon, the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are, 29 in order that no flesh might boast in the sight of God. 30 But it is due to him that YOU are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousness and sanctification and release by ransom; 31 that it may be just as it is written: “He that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah ().” 2:1 And so I, when I came to YOU, brothers, did not come with an extravagance of speech or of wisdom declaring the sacred secret of God to YOU. 2 For I decided not to know anything among YOU except Jesus Christ, and him impaled. 3 And I came to YOU in weakness and in fear and with much trembling; 4 and my speech and what I preached were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of spirit and power, 5 that YOUR faith might be, not in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power. 6 Now we speak wisdom among those who are mature, but not the wisdom of this system of things nor that of the rulers of this system of things, who are to come to nothing. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret, the hidden wisdom, which God foreordained before the systems of things for our glory. 8 This [wisdom] not one of the rulers of this system of things came to know, for if they had known [it] they would not have impaled the glorious Lord. 9 But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” 10 For it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit, for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21-2:10 ESV (21) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. (22) For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, (23) but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, (24) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (25) For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (26) For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (27) But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28) God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (30) And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, (31) so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 ESV (1) And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. (2) For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (3) And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, (4) and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (5) that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (6) Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. (7) But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. (8) None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9) But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- (10) these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
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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).
BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English
Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible
Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society
CEV - Contemporary English Version
Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible
Darby - 1889 Darby Bible
DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible
ESV - English Standard Version
GNB - Good News Bible
GW - God's Word Bible
ISV - International Standard Version
KJV - 1769 King James Version
KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611
LitNT - Literal New Testament
LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible
MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version
Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament
MWT - Modern World Translation
NWT - New World Translation
RV - Revised Version
Webster - 1833 Webster Bible
WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament
Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible
YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation
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