The first Chapter.
[ A] PAul, called to be an A∣postle of Iesus Christ thorow ye will of God, and brother Sosthe∣nes, vnto the congrega¦cion off God which is at Corinthum, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus, sayntes by callinge, with all them that call vpon the name of oure LOR¦DE Iesus Christ, in euery place both off theirs and oures. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father, and from the LORDE Iesus Christ.
I thāke my God allwayes on youre be∣halfe, for the fauoure of God which is geuē you in Iesus Christ, that in all poyntes ye are made ryche by him, in euery worde, and in all maner of knowlege (euē as ye preachin¦ge of Christ is confirmed in you) so that ye wante nothinge in eny gifte, and wayte but for the appearinge of oure LORDE Iesus Christ: which shal strength you also vnto ye ende, that ye maye be blamelesse in the daye of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. For God is faithfull, by whō ye are called vnto the fel∣lishippe of his sonne Iesus Christ oure LOR¦DE.
[ B] But I beseke you brethrē thorow the na¦me of oure LORDE Iesus Christ, that ye all speake one thinge, and let there be no discen∣sion amonge you, but that ye be perfecte in one meanynge. For it is shewed me (my bre∣thren) of you, by them which are of ye hous∣holde of Cloes, that there is stryfe amonge you. I speake of that, which euery one of you sayeth: I holde of Paul. Another, I hol¦de of Apollo▪ The thirde, I holde of Ce∣phas. The fourth, I holde off Christ. Is Christ then deuyded in partes? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptysed in ye name of Paul? I thanke God that I haue baptised none of you, but * Crispus and Ga¦ius: lest eny shulde saye, yt I in myne awne name had baptised. I baptysed also ye hous¦holde of Stephana. Farthermore knowe I not, whether I baptysed eny other. For Christ sent me not to baptyse, but to preach the Gospell, not with wyszdome of wordes, lest ye crosse of Christ shulde haue bene ma∣de of none effecte.
For the worde of ye crosse is foolishnesse [ C] to thē that perishe but vnto vs which are saued, it is the power of God. For it is wryt¦tē: I wyl destroye the wyszdome of the wy¦se, & wil cast away the vnderstondinge of ye prudēt. Where are the wyse? Where are ye scrybes? where are ye disputers of this worl¦de? Hath not God made the wyszdome of this worlde foolishnesse? For in so moch as the worlde by the wyszdome therof knewe not God in his wyszdome, it pleased God thorow foolish preachinge to saue them yt beleue. For the Iewes requyre tokens, and the Grekes axe after wyszdome. But we preach Christ the crucified: to the Iewes an occasion off fallinge, and vnto the Grekes foolishnes. But vnto them that are called (both Iewes and Grekes) we preach Christ the power of God and the wyszdome off God.
For the foolishnes of God is wyser then [ D] men: and the weaknes of God is strōger thē men. Brethren loke on youre callinge, how that not many wysemē after the flesh, not many mightie, not many of hye degre are called: but that foolish is before the worlde, hath God chosen, that he mighte cōfounde the wyse: And that weake is before ye worl∣de, hath God chosen, yt he mighte confoun∣de the mightye. And the vyle and despysed before the worlde hath God chosen, yee and that which is nothinge, that he mighte des¦troye that which is oughte, that no flesh shulde reioyse in his presence. Of the same are ye also in Christ Iesu, which of God is made vnto vs wyszdome and righteousnes, and sanctifienge and redēpcion, that, acor∣dinge as it is wrytten: He that reioyseth, shulde reioyse in the LORDE.