We are foolsfor Christ'ssake,but you are prudentin Christ;we are weak,but you are strong;you are distinguished,but we are without honor.
Now Jehucameout to the servantsof his master,and one saidto him, "Is all well?Whydid thismadfellowcometo you?" And he saidto them, "You know[very well] the manand his talk."
He who despiseshis neighborlackssense,But a manof understandingkeepssilent.
He was despisedand forsakenof men,A manof sorrowsand acquaintedwith grief;And like one from whom men hidetheir faceHe was despised,and we did not esteemHim.
The daysof punishmenthave come,The daysof retributionhave come;Let Israelknow[this]! The prophetis a fool,The inspiredmanis demented,Becauseof the grossnessof your iniquity,And [because] your hostilityis [so] great.
"Thenthey will deliveryou to tribulation,and will killyou, and you will be hatedby allnationsbecauseof My name.
"Blessedare you when[people] insultyou and persecuteyou, and falselysayall kindsof evilagainstyou becauseof Me.
"The one who listensto you listensto Me, and the one who rejectsyou rejectsMe; and he who rejectsMe rejectsthe One who sentMe."
And He alsotoldthisparableto some peoplewho trustedin themselvesthat they were righteous,and viewedotherswith contempt:
"Blessedare you whenmenhateyou, and ostracizeyou, and insultyou, and scornyour nameas evil,for the sakeof the Sonof Man.
And alsosomeof the Epicureanand Stoicphilosopherswere conversingwith him. Somewere saying,"Whatwould thisidle babblerwishto say?"Others,"He seemsto be a proclaimerof strangedeities,"--becausehe was preachingJesusand the resurrection.
Nowwhen they heardof the resurrectionof the dead,some[began] to sneer,but otherssaid,"We shall hearyou againconcerningthis."
While [Paul] was sayingthisin his defense,Festussaidin a loudvoice,"Paul,you are out of your mind![Your] greatlearningis drivingyou mad."
for I will showhim how muchhe mustsufferfor My name'ssake."
For sincein the wisdomof Godthe worldthroughits wisdomdid not [come to] knowGod,Godwas well-pleasedthroughthe foolishnessof the message preachedto savethosewho believe.
but we preachChristcrucified,to Jewsa stumbling blockand to Gentilesfoolishness,
Becausethe foolishnessof Godis wiserthan men,and the weaknessof Godis strongerthan men.
Thereforelet him who thinkshe standstake heedthat he does not fall.
But a naturalmandoes not acceptthe things of the Spiritof God,for they are foolishnessto him; and he cannotunderstandthem, becausethey are spirituallyappraised.
I was with you in weaknessand in fearand in muchtrembling,
Let no mandeceivehimself.Ifany manamongyou thinksthat he is wisein thisage,he must becomefoolish,sothat he may becomewise.
I gaveyou milkto drink,not solid food;for you were not yetable[to receive it]. Indeed,evennowyou are not yetable,
You are alreadyfilled,you have alreadybecome rich,you have becomekingswithoutus; and indeed,[I] wishthat you had become kingssothat we alsomight reignwith you.
For they say,"His lettersare weightyand strong,but his personalpresenceis unimpressiveand his speechcontemptible."
For you, being[so] wise,toleratethe foolishgladly.
Whois weakwithoutmy being weak?Whois led into sinwithoutmy intense concern?
For we rejoicewhenwe ourselvesare weakbut you are strong;thiswe alsoprayfor, that you be made complete.
Sodeathworksin us, but lifein you.
by gloryand dishonor,by evil reportand good report;[regarded] as deceiversand yet true;
So,he who rejects[this] is not rejectingmanbut the Godwho givesHis HolySpiritto you.
Ifyou are reviledfor the nameof Christ,you are blessed,becausethe Spiritof gloryand of Godrestson you.
