16. (I also immersed the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t recall if I immersed anyone else.)
17. For Messiah sent me not to immerse, but to proclaim the Good News—not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Messiah would not be made of no effect.
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 intelligent.”
20. Where is the wise one? Where is the Torah scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21. For seeing that—in God’s wisdom—the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased—through the foolishness of the message proclaimed—to save those who believe.
22. For Jewish people ask for signs and Greek people seek after wisdom,
23. but we proclaim Messiah crucified—a stumbling block to Jewish people and foolishness to Gentile people,
24. but to those who are called (both Jewish and Greek people), Messiah, the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26. For you see your calling, brothers and sisters, that not many are wise according to human standards, not many are powerful, and not many are born well.