1 Corinthians 1

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians addresses the issues facing the church in Corinth, which include divisions, immorality, disputes, and doctrinal confusion. The letter aims to guide, correct, and teach the Corinthians how to live in unity and holiness in a secular society.

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul introduces himself as an apostle by divine call, not by human appointment, highlighting his authority and purpose in addressing the church. He includes Sosthenes, possibly the same figure mentioned in Acts 18, indicating a partnership in his ministry. The greeting extends grace and peace, typical of Paul’s salutations but deeply meaningful, expressing a desire for spiritual blessings rather than just a polite hello.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (NKJV)
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul begins his letter by giving thanks to God for the grace that the believers in Corinth had received through Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that God had richly blessed them, enriching them in spiritual understanding, speech, and knowledge, and that the testimony about Christ had taken root among them. Because of this, they lacked no spiritual gift and were eagerly awaiting the return and revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul assures them that Christ will continue to strengthen and sustain them so that they may stand blameless when He returns. Despite the problems that later appear in the Corinthian church, Paul reminds them that God is faithful, and it is God who called them into fellowship with His Son. This opening encouragement emphasizes that their spiritual life, gifts, and future hope all come from God’s grace, and that their confidence rests not in themselves but in God’s faithfulness to complete His work in them.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NKJV)
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there are no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Paul urges the believers in Corinth to maintain unity and avoid divisions within the church. He appeals to them in the name of Jesus Christ to be united in their thinking and judgment rather than forming factions. Paul had been informed by members of Chloe’s household that quarrels had arisen among them, with different groups claiming loyalty to various Christian leaders such as Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), while others claimed a special allegiance to Christ in a way that still contributed to division. Paul rebukes this attitude by asking rhetorical questions: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” His point is that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, not through any human leader. By focusing on personalities, the Corinthians were losing sight of the central truth of the gospel. Paul reminds them that the church belongs to Christ, and believers should therefore be united in Him rather than divided by loyalty to different teachers or ministers.

1 Corinthians 1:14-17 (NKJV)
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Paul explains that he baptized only a few people—Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas—so that no one could claim they were baptized in his name. His purpose was to correct the divisions forming in the Corinthian church, where some believers were beginning to identify themselves with particular leaders. Paul emphasizes that Christ did not send him primarily to baptize but to preach the gospel, so that the focus would remain on the message of the cross rather than on human ministers. While baptism is an important command and a public expression of faith, Paul clarifies that the true power of salvation does not come from the person performing the baptism or from eloquent speech, but from the gospel of Christ itself. By saying this, Paul redirects the Corinthians away from elevating human leaders and back to the central truth that the saving power lies in Christ and His sacrifice, and that the unity of believers should be grounded in the gospel rather than in loyalty to those who administer religious acts.

1 Corinthians 1:18-20 (NKJV)
18 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.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

In these verses, Paul contrasts the wisdom of God with the wisdom of the world, showing how the gospel challenges human pride and intellectual confidence. The message of the cross, which proclaims that salvation comes through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, appears foolish and unreasonable to those who rely solely on human reasoning and worldly standards of power and success. To them, the idea that a crucified man could be the Savior of the world seems weak, irrational, and offensive. However, for those who believe and are being saved, the cross reveals the very power of God, because through it God accomplishes what human wisdom could never achieve—the forgiveness of sin, the defeat of death, and the restoration of humanity to Himself. Paul supports this argument by quoting Isaiah 29:14, where God declares that He will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring the understanding of the prudent to nothing, showing that human intelligence and philosophical systems are ultimately incapable of discovering the truth of God on their own. By asking rhetorical questions such as “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age?” Paul points to the limitations of philosophers, scholars, and debaters who pride themselves on their knowledge yet fail to grasp the true wisdom revealed in Christ. In this way, God turns the expectations of the world upside down, demonstrating that what appears weak and foolish to human thinking is actually the deepest expression of divine wisdom and power, and that salvation comes not through human brilliance or argument but through the simple yet profound message of the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:21 (NKJV)
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Paul explains that in God’s wisdom the world, relying on its own wisdom, failed to truly know Him. Throughout history people have depended on philosophy, education, reasoning, and intellectual speculation to understand life’s deepest questions—who God is, why we exist, and how salvation can be obtained—yet human wisdom alone could not discover God or His plan of redemption. This was not because God was unwilling to reveal Himself, but because human pride and dependence on self-wisdom often prevent people from recognizing spiritual truth. Therefore, in His wisdom God chose a method of salvation that humbles human pride: He saves people through what the world considers the “foolishness” of the preached message, the simple proclamation of the gospel, especially the message of Christ crucified. While Greek thinkers sought intellectual sophistication and many Jews expected a powerful political Messiah, the gospel declares that salvation comes through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the cross God accomplished what human wisdom could never achieve—the forgiveness of sins and the restoration of humanity to Himself. The power of the gospel lies in its beautiful simplicity: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again—and now He lives in believers through His Spirit. By choosing such a simple message, God also makes salvation accessible to all people, not only to the educated or philosophically trained, and ensures that no one can boast in their own intelligence or achievements. As Paul later explains in this chapter, God often chooses what the world considers weak, foolish, or insignificant so that no flesh should glory in His presence, and so that all the glory belongs to Him alone. Thus, though the world may dismiss the gospel as foolish, it remains God’s chosen means of salvation, revealing that true wisdom is not found in human reasoning but in humbly trusting the truth God has revealed.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25 (NKJV)
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Paul explains how different groups responded to the gospel and why many rejected it. The Jews looked for miraculous signs, expecting the Messiah to demonstrate divine power through wonders and political victory, while the Greeks valued human wisdom, philosophy, and intellectual sophistication. However, the apostles preached “Christ crucified,” a message that did not fit either expectation. To the Jews, a crucified Messiah was a stumbling block, because they believed the Messiah should be powerful and victorious, not executed on a cross. To the Greeks, the idea that salvation could come through a crucified man seemed foolish and irrational, since it did not align with their philosophical ideals of wisdom. Yet Paul explains that for those whom God calls—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is revealed as the true power and wisdom of God, because through the cross God accomplishes what human strength and wisdom could never achieve: the redemption of humanity. What appears weak and foolish in human eyes is actually far greater than human wisdom and strength, demonstrating that God’s plan of salvation surpasses all human expectations and understanding.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NKJV)
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Paul points out that the demographic of the Corinthian church primarily includes those not esteemed by societal standards—few were wise, powerful, or of noble birth. God’s choice to use what the world considers lowly or insignificant demonstrates His power to subvert worldly values, ensuring that no one can boast before Him based solely on worldly status or personal achievements.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Paul teaches that believers are united with Christ because of God’s work, not their own efforts. Through God’s grace, believers are placed in Christ Jesus, and Christ Himself becomes everything they need for salvation and spiritual life. Paul explains that Christ is the wisdom from God, meaning that through Him believers come to understand God’s truth and plan of salvation, a wisdom far greater than human knowledge or philosophy. But Christ provides more than wisdom—He is also our righteousness, making us right with God; our sanctification, setting us apart and gradually transforming us into holiness; and our redemption, delivering us from the bondage and penalty of sin. In this way, all that believers have spiritually comes from Christ alone. By being united with Him, believers receive both the understanding of God’s truth and the power to live a transformed life, showing that salvation and spiritual growth are entirely the result of God’s grace working through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:31 (NKJV)
that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

Paul concludes his argument by reminding believers that all glory and boasting should belong to God alone. Quoting Jeremiah 9:23–24, he teaches that people should not boast in human wisdom, strength, status, or personal achievements. Everything believers possess—wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—comes from Jesus Christ, not from their own efforts or from the influence of human leaders. Paul’s point is to humble the Corinthians, who had begun to take pride in their knowledge, abilities, and loyalty to certain teachers. Instead, he directs their attention back to God as the true source of every spiritual blessing and accomplishment. Therefore, if believers are to boast or glory in anything, it should be in the Lord and in what He has done, recognizing that all growth, salvation, and spiritual life are the result of God’s grace rather than human merit.