1 Corinthians 1: Christ Is Not Divided

Paul writes to the church at Corinth. He thanks God for the grace given to them and reminds them that God is faithful. He has heard that the believers are quarreling and lining up behind different leaders, so he asks them to be united in the same mind. Paul says the message of the cross looks foolish to the world, but it is the power of God to those who are being saved. God chose the weak and lowly things so that no one would boast before Him, and Christ Jesus became wisdom from God for His people.

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World English Bible · 31 verses

¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² to the assembly of God which is at Corinth—those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ I always thank my God concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge—This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you—This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁶ For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁸ God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁹ that no flesh should boast before God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁰ Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³¹ that, as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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1 Corinthians 1 · Preschool

God Is Faithful

Name Date

Color the friends holding hands. God wants His family to get along!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:9 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: Paul wrote that God is faithful. That means God always keeps His promises. Let's thank God for making us one family.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

1 Corinthians 1 · Grade 4

The Power of the Cross

Name Date

Read and Think

Paul had started the church in Corinth. In this letter he begins with thanks. God had enriched them in speech and knowledge, and they lacked no gift while they waited for Jesus to return. Paul reminds them that God is faithful, and He would keep them strong to the end.

Then Paul turns to a problem. People from Chloe's household told him there were contentions in the church. Groups were forming around favorite teachers. Paul asked whether Christ is divided or whether Paul was crucified for them. Unity comes from belonging to Christ, not from following a human leader.

Greeks seek after wisdom (1:22), and many people thought a crucified Savior made no sense. Paul says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but it is the power of God to those who are being saved. God chose the foolish, weak, and lowly things of the world so that no one could boast before Him. Anyone who boasts should boast in the Lord.

Show What You Know

Who told Paul about the quarrels?
What were the groups forming around?
Why did many people think the cross was foolish?
Why did God choose weak and lowly things?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

worldGodwisdom

had enriched them in speech and knowledge, and they lacked no gift while they waited for Jesus to return.
Greeks seek after (1:22), and many people thought a crucified Savior made no sense.
God chose the foolish, weak, and lowly things of the so that no one could boast before Him.

Think About It

Paul wanted the church to be united. What can you do to help your church family get along?
God chose weak and lowly things to show His power. How does that encourage you when you feel small?

Memory Verse

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being faithful to me. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

What is a saint in Paul's letter?
How can you help your church stay united?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

1 Corinthians 1 · Grade 5

Christ, the Wisdom of God

Name Date

Read and Think

First Corinthians is a letter Paul wrote to the church he planted in Corinth (3:6; 4:15). The opening names the sender and recipients, then gives a greeting and thanksgiving. Paul calls the believers saints, meaning people set apart by God, even though the rest of the letter addresses serious problems. His thanksgiving rests on God's faithfulness rather than on their behavior.

The first problem is division. Believers were rallying around Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or even claiming Christ as their party slogan. Paul's three questions expose the error: Christ is not divided, Paul was not crucified for them, and they were not baptized into Paul's name. Leaders are servants; Christ alone is the center of the church.

Paul then contrasts the wisdom of this world with the wisdom of God. Jews asked for signs and Greeks sought wisdom, but Paul preached Christ crucified, which seemed a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others. Yet for those God has chosen, Christ is the power and wisdom of God. God deliberately chose what the world considers foolish, weak, and lowly so that salvation is clearly His work. Christ became for believers wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Show What You Know

Why does Paul call the Corinthians saints even though they had problems?
What do Paul's three questions about division show?
How did Jews and Greeks each react to the message of the cross?
Why did God choose what the world considers weak and lowly?

Crossword

Across

Where is the ____
God chose the lowly things of the ____

Down

By those who are from Chloe’s ____
For seeing that in the ____ of God

Think About It

Paul says leaders are servants and Christ is the center. How can you honor good teachers without making them the center of your faith?
The cross looked foolish to many people, yet it is God's power. Where do you see the world's idea of wisdom differ from God's wisdom today?

Memory Verse

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being faithful to me. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How can a church stay united?
How is God's wisdom different from the world's wisdom?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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1 Corinthians 1: Christ Is Not Divided

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Worksheets

God Is Faithful

Prayer

Take It Home

One Family

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Christ Is Not Divided

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Prayer

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A Letter to Corinth

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Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

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Is Christ Divided?

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Christ Is Not Divided

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

The Power of the Cross

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

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Prayer

Take It Home

Christ, the Wisdom of God

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

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