1 Corinthians 1:24 kjv

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 nkjv

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 niv

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 esv

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 nlt

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1 verses

1 Corinthians 1 24 Meaning

This verse stands in direct contrast to the preceding verses (1 Cor 1:22-23), asserting that while the message of Christ crucified appears as a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, it is paradoxically and truly the demonstration of God's power and God's wisdom for those who have been supernaturally called by God, whether they are Jews or Greeks. It signifies that God's plan of salvation, enacted through the crucified Christ, defies human logic and expectations, yet powerfully effects salvation and reveals divine understanding.

1 Corinthians 1 24 Context

This verse is central to Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 1 concerning the message of the cross and human wisdom. The immediate context (1 Cor 1:18-25) presents a stark contrast between those who perceive the cross as "foolishness" or a "stumbling block" (the perishing) and "us who are being saved," to whom it is "the power of God." Corinth was a city known for its philosophical schools, rhetoric, and human intellectual pride. Jews, on the other hand, sought miraculous signs as proof of divine intervention and a powerful, conquering Messiah. Paul addresses their cultural biases, asserting that God's chosen method of salvation, the crucifixion of Christ, confounds both Jewish and Gentile expectations. The polemic is against reliance on human intellect, worldly standards of power, and self-glorification, highlighting God's radically different and ultimately superior way.

1 Corinthians 1 24 Word analysis

• but: (Greek: δὲ – de) A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a sharp contrast or transition from the previous statements in verses 22-23 where the cross is described as a stumbling block or foolishness. It marks a shift to God's perspective and the experience of believers.
• to those who are called: (Greek: κλητοῖς – klētois, from kaleo) This term signifies not merely an invitation, but an effectual, divine summoning. It speaks of God's sovereign initiative in bringing people to salvation. This calling is distinct from general evangelism; it implies an internal, powerful work of the Holy Spirit. It underscores that spiritual understanding of Christ's cross is a result of God's grace and action, not human insight or choice alone.
• both Jews and Greeks: (Greek: Ἰουδαίοις τε καὶ Ἕλλησιν – Ioudaiois te kai Hellēsin) This phrase emphasizes the universality and inclusivity of God's saving plan. The Gospel breaks down the most significant ancient ethnic and cultural divide, demonstrating that salvation is available to all people groups, irrespective of their former religious or cultural heritage. This contrasts with the Jewish demand for a Messiah specifically for Israel and the Greek philosophical pride.
• Christ: (Greek: Χριστὸς – Christos) Refers to Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah. He is the central figure through whom God's power and wisdom are manifested. His person and work (specifically His crucifixion, as per the preceding context) embody these divine attributes.
• the power of God: (Greek: Θεοῦ δύναμιν – Theou dynamin) Dynamis refers to inherent power, ability, or might. In the context of the cross, this is a profound paradox. While crucifixion appears to be utter weakness, it is the means by which God utterly defeats sin, death, and Satan (Col 2:15). God's power is revealed not in flashy displays of human strength or miraculous signs (as Jews desired), but in the weakness and humility of the crucified Son.
• and the wisdom of God: (Greek: Θεοῦ σοφίαν – Theou sophian) Sophia refers to comprehensive insight, discernment, and skill, often associated with divine knowledge and purpose. Again, the cross seems utterly foolish by human standards. Yet, in God's divine counsel, it is the supremely ingenious plan for reconciling humanity to Himself, solving the problem of sin and judgment in a way that magnifies His justice and love perfectly. It is a wisdom that human philosophy cannot grasp.

• those who are called, both Jews and Greeks: This phrase group highlights the subjects of God's redemptive work. Their ability to see Christ as power and wisdom is attributed directly to God's effectual calling, not to their own ethnic or intellectual advantages. It points to a new community, unified in Christ, transcending previous societal and religious barriers.
• Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God: This forms the core statement, declaring the paradoxical and profound reality of Christ's identity and work. It's a statement of Christ's essential nature as revealed through the scandal of the cross. The very object of scorn and intellectual dismissal (Christ crucified) is, for believers, the very essence of God's active capability and ultimate intelligence, a perfect congruence of divine will and action. This pairing refutes the "sign-seeking" and "wisdom-seeking" tendencies, asserting that God's true display of power and wisdom comes through a path unexpected and counter-intuitive to fallen humanity.

1 Corinthians 1 24 Bonus section

The juxtaposition of Christ's apparent weakness (crucifixion) with the ultimate display of God's power and wisdom forms the "scandal of the cross," a recurring theme in Paul's letters. This verse directly refutes human-centered pride (whether nationalistic or intellectual) by highlighting God's unexpected, humbling, yet ultimately triumphant methodology of salvation. It reminds believers that faith is not in human strategies or philosophical systems, but solely in the divine person and finished work of Christ. The church at Corinth, being riddled with divisions based on human leaders and philosophical leanings, needed this strong declaration of Christ's absolute supremacy as the singular embodiment of God's active force and sovereign plan.

1 Corinthians 1 24 Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:24 encapsulates the profound paradox at the heart of the Gospel. In a world obsessed with displays of strength and intellectual prowess, Paul asserts that the crucified Christ, seemingly the epitome of weakness and foolishness, is precisely God's supreme demonstration of His power and wisdom. To the Jewish mind, accustomed to a conquering Messiah who performs grand signs, Christ's death on a cross was a scandal, a violation of expectations. To the Greek philosophers, who valued human reason and rhetoric, the idea of a crucified God was absurd. However, Paul reveals that it is precisely through this "foolish" act that God disarms cosmic powers (Col 2:15) and enacts His sovereign, perfect plan for humanity's redemption, proving His overwhelming might and unerring intellect. The ability to grasp this divine reality is not through human cleverness or cultural background, but through an effectual, divine "calling" that transforms one's spiritual perception, enabling both Jew and Greek to perceive the glory hidden in the apparent shame of the cross.