Greetings from Paul

(2 Corinthians 1:1-2)

1PAUL, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother,

2To the church of God that is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place of theirs and ours.

3Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

(Philippians 1:3-11; Colossians 1:3-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4)

4I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus, 5That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Unity in the Church

(Psalm 133:1-3; Ephesians 4:1-16)

10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you; but that you be perfect in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 11For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I am of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius; 15Lest any should say that you were baptized in my name. 16And I baptized also the household of Stephanus; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

19For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject.

20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe. 22For both the Jews require signs, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: 24But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

The Foolish to Shame the Wise

25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble: 27But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong. 28And the base things of the world, and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen, and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his sight. 30But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord.