1 Corinthians 1:27

The Passion Translation

But God chose those whom the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise, and God chose the puny and powerless to shame the high and mighty.

Cross References

Psalm 8:2

You have built a stronghold by the songs of children. Strength rises up with the chorus of infants. This kind of praise has power to shut Satan’s mouth. Childlike worship will silence the madness of those who oppose you.

Isaiah 29:14

So therefore, I will again jolt this people awake with astonishing wonders upon wonders! And the wisdom of their wise ones will fail, and the intelligent know-it-alls will have no explanations.

Isaiah 29:19

The meek will overflow with fresh joy in the Lord Yahweh, and the poor will shout their praises to the Holy One of Israel!

Isaiah 44:25

Now I make fools of fortune-tellers and frustrate astrologers’ predictions. I confuse the wise, who think they know it all, and make their ‘knowledge’ into foolishness.

Jeremiah 8:9

The know-it-alls will be shamed, terrorized, and trapped. They walked away from the word of Yahweh, so wisdom walked away from them.

Matthew 11:25

Then Jesus exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord, the Supreme Ruler over heaven and earth! And you have hidden the great revelation of your authority from those who are proud and think they are wise and unveiled it instead to little children.

Matthew 21:16

They said to Jesus, “Don’t you hear what these children are saying? This is not right!” Jesus answered, “Yes, I hear them. But have you never read the Scripture, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”

Matthew 9:9

As Jesus left Capernaum he came upon a tax-collecting station, where a Jewish man named Matthew was collecting taxes for the Romans. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said to him. Immediately Matthew jumped up and began to follow Jesus.

Acts 17:18

Philosophers of the teachings of Epicurus, and others called Stoics, debated with Paul. When they heard him speak about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What strange ideas is this babbler trying to present?” Others said, “He’s peddling some kind of foreign religion.”

Acts 7:35

“So God sent back to Egypt the man our people rejected and refused to recognize by saying, ‘Who appointed you to be our ruler and judge?’ God sent this man back to be their ruler and deliverer, commissioned with the power of the messenger who appeared to him in the flaming thorn bush.

Acts 7:54

When they heard these things, they were overtaken with violent rage filling their souls, and they gnashed their teeth at him.

1 Corinthians 1:20

So where is the wise philosopher who understands? Where is the expert scholar who comprehends? And where is the skilled debater of our time who could win a debate with God? Hasn’t God demonstrated that the wisdom of this world system is utter foolishness?

1 Corinthians 1:21

For in his wisdom, God designed that all the world’s wisdom would be insufficient to lead people to the discovery of himself. He took great delight in baffling the wisdom of the world by using the simplicity of preaching the story of the cross in order to save those who believe it.

1 Corinthians 2:12

For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us.

2 Corinthians 10:10

For I can imagine some of you saying, “His letters are authoritative and stern, but when he’s with us he’s not that impressive and he’s a poor speaker.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God’s, not ours.

James 2:5

So listen carefully, my dear brothers and sisters, hasn’t God chosen the poor in the world’s eyes to be those who are rich in faith? And won’t they be the heirs of the kingdom-realm he promised to those who love him?