Christ Is God’s Power and Wisdom

¹⁸ [^LFor] The ·teaching [message; word] about the cross is ·foolishness [folly] to those who are ·being lost [headed for destruction; perishing], but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ [^LFor] It is written in the Scriptures:

²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the ·educated person [scholar; or scribe; teacher of the law]? Where is the ·skilled talker [orator; debater; philosopher] of this ·world [age]? ·God has [^LHas not God…?] made the wisdom of the world foolish. ²¹ ·In the wisdom of God the world did [or God wisely determined that the world would] not know God through its own wisdom. So God ·chose [was pleased] to use the ·message that sounds foolish [^Lfolly/foolishness of what was preached] to save those who believe. ²² [^LFor; Since] The Jews ·ask for [demand] ·miracles [^Lsigns], and the Greeks ·want [seek; look for] wisdom. ²³ But we preach ·that Christ was crucified [Christ crucified; or a crucified Messiah]. This ·causes the Jews to stumble [is a stumbling block/offense/obstacle to Jews] and is ·foolishness [folly] to Gentiles. ²⁴ But to those people God has called—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ [^LFor] Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise ·in the way the world judges wisdom [by human standards; ^Laccording to the flesh]. Not many of you ·had great influence [were powerful/strong]. Not many of you ·came from important families [were well-born; were of high social status]. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ He chose what the world thinks is ·unimportant [insignificant; lowly] and what the world ·looks down on [despises] and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is ·important [something special]. ²⁹ God did this so that no one can ·brag [boast] in his presence. ³⁰ Because of God you are ·in [united with; in relationship with] Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. ·In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, and have been set free from sin [^L…and became for us righteousness, holiness, and redemption]. ³¹ So, as the Scripture says, “If people want to ·brag [boast], they should ·brag [boast] only about the Lord [Jer. 9:24].”