Paul's opening uniquely combines his apostolic "calling" (κλητός) with the Corinthians' identical "calling" (κλητοί) as saints, creating rare linguistic parallelism that emphasizes shared divine election.
1 Corinthians 1
Epistolary Opening
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving for God's Gifts
4I always thank my God concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge—
6even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you—
7so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Appeal for Unity Against Divisions
10Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
12Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?
14I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.
16(I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)
17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.
The Foolishness of God's Wisdom
18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, 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. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”
20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.
22For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,
23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,
24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;
25because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;
27but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.
28God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,
29that no flesh should boast before God.
30Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
31that, as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”
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Theme
Paul opens his first letter to the Corinthians by establishing his apostolic authority and expressing gratitude for God's gifts to the church. He immediately addresses the central problem plaguing the congregation: divisive factions forming around different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ). Paul counters this worldly approach to leadership by contrasting human wisdom with God's wisdom, arguing that the gospel's apparent foolishness actually represents divine power that transcends human understanding and social distinctions.
Context
This opening chapter establishes the foundational issues Paul will address throughout the letter, particularly the Corinthians' tendency toward division and their misunderstanding of spiritual maturity.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-3 Apostolic Greeting Paul establishes his divine calling as apostle and addresses the sanctified Corinthian church with grace and peace.
- 4-9 Thanksgiving for Spiritual Gifts Paul expresses gratitude for God's enrichment of the Corinthians in speech and knowledge, affirming God's faithfulness.
- 10-17 Appeal Against Factional Divisions Paul confronts reports of divisions around human leaders and emphasizes his role as gospel preacher, not baptizer.
- 18-31 Divine Wisdom Versus Human Wisdom Paul contrasts the world's rejection of the cross as foolishness with God's power revealed through apparent weakness and humble calling.
Epistolary Opening
1:1–1:3 epistle instruction solemn
Paul opens 1 Corinthians by establishing his apostolic authority and addressing the Corinthian church as sanctified saints. He extends the standard greeting of grace and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ.
person_contrast
Paul's opening uniquely combines his apostolic "calling" (κλητός) with the Corinthians' identical "calling" (κλητοί) as saints, creating rare linguistic parallelism that emphasizes shared divine election.
Thanksgiving for God's Gifts
1:4–1:9 epistle prayer joyful
Paul expresses thanksgiving for God's grace given to the Corinthians through Christ, highlighting their spiritual enrichment and gifts. He emphasizes God's faithfulness in calling them into fellowship with Jesus and sustaining them until Christ's return.
person_contrast
Paul's thanksgiving formula uniquely combines "grace" (charis) with "fellowship" (koinonia) and divine "faithfulness" (pistos), creating a theological triad that appears together nowhere else in his letters.
Appeal for Unity Against Divisions
1:10–1:17 epistle exhortation urgent
Paul addresses divisions in the Corinthian church where members claim allegiance to different leaders. He emphasizes that Christ alone was crucified for them and that his primary mission is preaching the gospel, not baptizing.
person_contrast
Paul's strategic distancing from baptism here contrasts sharply with his usual emphasis on sacramental fellowship, revealing his prioritization of gospel proclamation over ritual administration when church unity is threatened.
The Foolishness of God's Wisdom
1:18–1:31 epistle instruction contemplative
Paul contrasts worldly wisdom with God's wisdom, showing how the cross appears foolish to the world but represents God's power and wisdom to believers. He emphasizes that God chooses the weak and foolish things to shame the wise and strong, so that no one may boast except in the Lord.
person_contrast
Paul's fourfold repetition of "foolish" (mōros) and "wisdom" (sophia) creates a chiastic structure that linguistically mirrors his theological reversal of worldly values.
Insights
Paul's thanksgiving formula uniquely combines "grace" (charis) with "fellowship" (koinonia) and divine "faithfulness" (pistos), creating a theological triad that appears together nowhere else in his letters.
Paul's strategic distancing from baptism here contrasts sharply with his usual emphasis on sacramental fellowship, revealing his prioritization of gospel proclamation over ritual administration when church unity is threatened.
Paul's fourfold repetition of "foolish" (mōros) and "wisdom" (sophia) creates a chiastic structure that linguistically mirrors his theological reversal of worldly values.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
1 Corinthians 1:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Corinthians 1:1 Lexical
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the assembly of God which is at Co…
Colossians 1:1 Lexical
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
Romans 1:1 Lexical
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,
2 Timothy 1:1 Lexical
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 1:1 Lexical
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ J…
1 Corinthians 1:2 2 references
1 Corinthians 1:3 5 references
Lexicals 5
Philemon 1:3 Lexical
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:2 Lexical
to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus…
2 John 1:3 Lexical
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in t…
2 Timothy 1:2 Lexical
to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Timothy 1:2 Lexical
to Timothy, my true child in faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:4 3 references
Lexicals 3
2 Thessalonians 2:13 Lexical
But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginn…
1 Thessalonians 1:2 Lexical
We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers,
2 Thessalonians 1:3 Lexical
We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedi…
1 Corinthians 1:7 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:10 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:12 3 references
Lexicals 3
1 Corinthians 3:22 Lexical
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are your…
1 Corinthians 3:5 Lexical
Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed, and each as the Lord gave to him?
1 Corinthians 3:4 Lexical
For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you fleshly?
1 Corinthians 1:13 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:14 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:17 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:19 3 references
Lexicals 3
1 Corinthians 3:19 Lexical
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”
Luke 10:21 Lexical
In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that y…
Matthew 11:25 Lexical
At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise an…
1 Corinthians 1:20 2 references
1 Corinthians 1:21 1 reference
1 Corinthians 1:24 5 references
Lexicals 5
Romans 1:16 Lexical
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes,…
Romans 2:10 Lexical
But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 2:9 Lexical
oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Acts 14:1 Lexical
In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and o…
Acts 18:4 Lexical
He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded Jews and Greeks.
1 Corinthians 1:25 2 references
Lexicals 2
1 Corinthians 1:27 2 references
Lexicals 2
Interlinear
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Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter
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Timeline
Crucifixion
~30 ADJesus' death by crucifixion on Golgotha, bearing the sins of humanity as the ultimate sacrifice. This central Christian event provides atonement and reconciliation between God and mankind.
Christ alone was crucified for the Corinthians, not their human leaders.
Appeal for Unity Against DivisionsCrucifixion
~30 ADJesus' death by crucifixion on Golgotha, bearing the sins of humanity as the ultimate sacrifice. This central Christian event provides atonement and reconciliation between God and mankind.
The cross appears foolish to worldly wisdom but represents God's power to believers.
The Foolishness of God's Wisdom