¶ He commendeth the Corinthians, exhorteth them to be of one mynde, and rebuketh the deuision that was amonges them, worldly wysdome is folyshnes before God, yea there is no wysdome but in the des∣pysed crosse of God.
CAPI. I.
PAule by vocacion an A∣postle of Iesu Christ thorowe the will of God, and brother Sosthenes.
Vnto the congregacion of God which is at Corinthe. To theym that are sanctified in Christe Iesu, saynctes by callynge, with all that call on ye name of our Lorde Iesu Christ in euery place both of theirs and of oures.
Grace be with you, and peaxe frome God our father, and frome the Lorde Iesu Christ.
✚ I thanke my God alwayes on your be∣halfe, for the grace of God gyuen you by Ie∣su Christ, that in al thinges ye are made ryche by him, in all lernynge and in all knowlege, euen as the testimony of Iesu Christ was con¦fermed in you, so that ye are behynde in no gyfte, and wayte for the appearynge of oure Lord Iesus Christ which shal strengthen you [ B] vnto the ende,* 1.1 that ye maye be blamelesse in the daye of our Lorde Iesu Christ. ⊦ For God is faithfull, by whome ye are called vnto the felowshyp of his sonne Iesu Christ our Lord I beseche you brethren, in the name of oure Lord Iesu Christ, that ye al speake one thing, and that there be no dissencion amonges you: but be ••••knytte togither in one mynde and in one meanynge: It is shewed me (my brethrē) of you, by them that are of the house of Cloe that there is stryfe amonge you. I meane this that commenlye amonge you, one saythe: I holde of Paul: another I holde of Apollo: the thirde, I holde of Cephas: the fourth I hold of Christ. Is Christ deuyded? Was Paul cru∣cyfyed for you? Eyther were ye baptysed in [ C] the name of Paul? I thanke God that I bap¦tysed none of you, but Crispus and Gayus, least any shoulde saye that I had baptised in myne owne name. I baptised also the house of Stephana. Furthermore know I not, whe¦ther I baptised any man or no.
For Christe sente me not to baptise, but to preache the gospel, not with wysdome of wor¦des, least the crosse of Christ shulde haue bene made of none effect. For the preachinge of the* 1.2 crosse, is to them that perysshe, folyshnesse: but vnto vs whiche are saued it is the power of God. For it is written:* 1.3 I will destroye the wysdome of the wyse, and will cast awaye the vnderstandinge of the prudente. Where is the wyse? Where is the scribe? Where is the searcher of this worlde? Hath not God made the wysdome of this worlde, folyshnes?
For when the worlde, thorowe wysdome knewe not God, in the wysdome of God: it pleased God thorow folyshnes of preachinge [ D] to saue them that beleue. For the Iewes re∣quire a signe, & ye Grekes seke after wysdome. But we preache Christ crucified, vnto the Ie∣wes an occasion of fallynge, & vnto the Gre∣kes folyshnes: but vnto them which are cal∣led both of the Iewes and Grekes, we preach Christ, the power of God, and the wysdome of God. For the folyshnes of God, is wyser then men: and the weakenes of God is stron∣ger then men. Brethren loke on your calling, how that not many wyse men after the flesh, not many myghty, not many of hyghe degre, are called: But God hath chosen the folyshe thinges of the worlde, to cōfounde the wyse. And God hathe chosen the weake thinges of the worlde, to confounde thinges whiche are myghty. And vyle thinges of the worlde, and thinges whiche are despysed, hathe God cho∣sen, yea and thinges of no reputation, for to bringe to nought thinges of reputacion, that no flesshe shulde reioyce in his his presence. And vnto him pertayne ye, in Christe Iesu, which of God is made vnto vs wysdom, and also ryghtwysnes, and sanctifienge and redē∣tion. That accordynge as it is written:* 1.4 he which reioyseth, shulde reioyce in the Lorde.