VERSE STUDY • KJV

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: ²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: ²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

²⁶ 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. ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast in His presence.

WEB World English Bible

²⁶ For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; ²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; ²⁸ and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are: ²⁹ that no flesh should boast before God.

ASV American Standard Version

²⁶ For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: ²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; ²⁸ and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: ²⁹ that no flesh should glory before God.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

²⁶ for see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong; ²⁸ and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless— ²⁹ that no flesh may glory before Him;

Surrounding context — 1 Corinthians 1

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which 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.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Read the whole chapter → · About 1 Corinthians →

HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

Compare classic commentaries on 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.

Compare commentaries →

CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING

Spurgeon on 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.

See all indexed Spurgeon material for this passage →