(Acts 18:1–11; 2 Corinthians 1:1–2)
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Paul, called as an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God; and Sosthenes, a brother:
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to the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints with all who are invoking the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place of theirs and of ours.
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Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
(Philippians 1:3–11; Colossians 1:3–14)
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I give thanks to my God continuously for you because of the grace of God that has been given to you in Christ Jesus.
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By that grace, in all things, you have become wealthy in him, in every word and in all knowledge.
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And so, the testimony of Christ has been strengthened in you.
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In this way, nothing is lacking to you in any grace, as you await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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And he, too, will strengthen you, even until the end, without guilt, until the day of the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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God is faithful. Through him, you have been called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Unity in the Church
(Psalm 133:1–3; Ephesians 4:1–16)
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And so, I beg you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that every one of you speak in the same way, and that there be no schisms among you. So may you become perfect, with the same mind and with the same judgment.
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For it has been indicated to me, about you, my brothers, by those who are with Chloes, that there are contentions among you.
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Now I say this because each of you is saying: “Certainly, I am of Paul;” “But I am of Apollo;” “Truly, I am of Cephas;” as well as: “I am of Christ.”
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Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
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I give thanks to God that I have baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius,
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lest anyone say that you have been baptized in my name.
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And I also baptized the household of Stephanus. Other than these, I do not recall if I baptized any others.
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For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize: not through the wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ become empty.
The Message of the Cross
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For the Word of the Cross is certainly foolishness to those who are perishing. But to those who have been saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.
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For it has been written: “I will perish the wisdom of the wise, and I will reject the discernment of the prudent.”
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Where are the wise? Where are the scribes? Where are the truth-seekers of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of this world into foolishness?(a)
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For the world did not know God through wisdom, and so, in the wisdom of God, it pleased God to accomplish the salvation of believers, through the foolishness of our preaching.
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For the Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks seek wisdom.
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But we are preaching Christ crucified. Certainly, to the Jews, this is a scandal, and to the Gentiles, this is foolishness.
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But to those who have been called, Jews as well as Greeks, the Christ is the virtue of God and the wisdom of God.
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For what is foolishness to God is considered wise by men, and that which is weakness to God is considered strong by men.(b)
Wisdom from God
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So take care of your vocation, brothers. For not many are wise according to the flesh, not many are powerful, not many are noble.
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But God has chosen the foolish of the world, so that he may confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak of the world, so that he may confound the strong.
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And God has chosen the ignoble and contemptible of the world, those who are nothing, so that he may reduce to nothing those who are something.
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So then, nothing that is of the flesh should glory in his sight.
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But you are of him in Christ Jesus, who was made by God to be our wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption.
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And so, in the same way, it was written: “Whoever glories, should glory in the Lord.”
Footnotes