Greetings from Paul and Sosthenes
(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, Rom 1:1Eph 1:12Co 1:1Act 18:17Act 22:21Col 1:11Co 9:1-21Ti 1:1
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Rom 1:71Co 6:9-111Co 1:30Act 26:181Pe 1:15-161Th 4:7Heb 13:122Co 4:5
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 1:71Pe 1:22Co 1:2Eph 1:2
Thanksgiving
(Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians 1:3–14)
I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus. Rom 1:8Jhn 14:261Ti 1:14Jhn 14:14Jhn 14:16Jhn 15:26Rom 6:171Co 1:3 For in Him you have been enriched in every way, in all speech and all knowledge, 2Co 9:112Co 8:7Col 2:3Php 1:9Rom 15:141Co 12:8Jas 3:132Pe 3:18 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 2Ti 1:8Rev 1:21Ti 2:61Co 2:1-22Co 12:12Act 20:24Rev 19:10Rom 15:19
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Php 3:202Pe 3:121Jn 3:2Heb 9:281Pe 4:13Jud 1:21Luk 17:30Rom 8:19 He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Th 5:23-241Th 3:13Col 1:22Php 1:6Jud 1:24-252Th 3:3Eph 5:27Rom 16:25 God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 2Th 3:3Heb 10:23Deu 7:91Jn 1:31Co 10:13Deu 32:4Rom 8:28Isa 49:7
Unity in the Church
(Psalms 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction. Php 2:1-4Eph 4:1-71Co 12:25Rom 12:16Jas 3:13-182Co 13:11Eph 4:31-32Psa 133:1 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 1Ti 6:42Ti 2:23-25Gal 5:26Pro 18:61Co 3:31Sa 25:14-172Co 12:20Gal 5:15 What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” 1 or “I follow Christ.” Mat 23:9-101Co 3:21-23Jhn 1:421Co 3:4-61Co 15:51Co 15:501Co 16:121Co 4:6
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? Eph 4:52Co 11:4Act 2:381Co 10:2Act 10:48Act 19:52Co 5:14-15Gal 1:7 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, Act 18:8Rom 16:231Co 1:41Co 14:181Th 5:182Co 2:143Jn 1:1-4Col 3:15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 2Co 11:2Jhn 3:28-29Jhn 7:18 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else. 1Co 16:151Co 16:17Act 16:15Act 16:33 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 1Co 2:11Co 2:132Pe 1:161Co 2:4-52Co 10:102Co 4:2Jhn 4:22Co 10:3-4
The Message of the Cross
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1Co 2:14Rom 1:162Th 2:101Co 1:23-252Co 4:31Co 1:212Co 2:15-161Co 3:19 For it is written: Isa 29:14Jer 8:91Co 3:19Job 5:12-13Isa 19:11Isa 19:3
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 2
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Rom 1:221Co 3:19Job 12:171Co 1:19Isa 44:25Job 12:241Co 2:62Sa 15:31 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Luk 10:21Mat 11:25Rom 1:20-221Co 1:24Eph 3:10Dan 2:20Rom 1:28Rom 11:33
Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom, Mat 16:1-4Act 17:18-21Jhn 2:18Luk 11:16Mat 12:38-39Mrk 8:11Luk 11:20Jhn 4:28 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 3 1Co 2:141Co 2:21Pe 2:8Gal 5:11Isa 8:14-151Co 1:18Luk 2:34Mat 11:6 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1Co 1:30Col 2:31Co 1:181Co 1:9Rom 1:16Rom 8:28-30Rom 1:4Luk 7:35
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, 4 and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Rom 11:33-361Co 1:18Zec 4:6-72Co 13:41Co 1:27-29Jdg 7:2-8Zec 12:7-81Ki 20:14-22
Wisdom from God
Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. Jas 2:51Co 3:18-20Jas 1:9-111Co 2:8Mat 11:25-261Co 1:20Luk 10:21Luk 18:24-25 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. Jas 2:5Mat 11:251Co 1:20Psa 8:2Luk 21:15Isa 29:142Co 10:4-5Act 4:11-21 He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, Job 34:24Rom 4:17Isa 2:11Job 34:19-20Isa 2:17Isa 41:12Dan 2:34-35Isa 17:13-14 so that no one may boast in His presence. Rom 3:27Eph 2:9Jer 9:231Co 1:311Co 4:7Rom 15:17Rom 3:191Co 5:6
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Eph 1:7Php 3:9Rom 8:11Co 1:21Co 6:11Col 1:14Eph 2:10Jhn 14:6 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 5 Jer 9:23-242Co 10:17Php 3:3Psa 105:3Isa 41:161Ch 16:10Isa 45:25Jer 4:2