1 Corinthians 1:20

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish?

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Rom 1:22 : 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
  • Job 12:17 : 17 He leads counselors away stripped and makes judges into fools.
  • Isa 33:18 : 18 Your mind will recall the terror you experienced, and you will ask yourselves,“Where is the scribe? Where is the one who weighs the money? Where is the one who counts the towers?”
  • Isa 44:25 : 25 who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish,
  • Isa 53:1 : 1 Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the LORD’s power revealed through him?
  • 1 Cor 1:19 : 19 For it is written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.”
  • 1 Cor 2:6 : 6 Wisdom from God Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing.
  • 1 Cor 3:19 : 19 For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written,“He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
  • Job 12:20 : 20 He deprives the trusted advisers of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
  • Job 12:24 : 24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their understanding; he makes them wander in a trackless desert waste.
  • 2 Sam 15:31 : 31 Now David had been told,“Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed,“Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O LORD.
  • 2 Sam 16:23 : 23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.
  • 2 Sam 17:14 : 14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said,“The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the LORD had decided to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the LORD could bring disaster on Absalom.
  • 2 Sam 17:23 : 23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave of his father.
  • Isa 19:11-12 : 11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh,“I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?” 12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has planned for Egypt.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 1 Cor 1:17-19
    3 verses
    88%

    17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel– and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.

    18The Message of the Cross For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    19For it is written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.”

  • 1 Cor 3:18-20
    3 verses
    86%

    18Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise.

    19For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written,“He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

    20And again,“The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

  • 1 Cor 1:21-28
    8 verses
    86%

    21For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching.

    22For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom,

    23but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

    24But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

    25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

    26Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.

    27But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.

    28God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,

  • Rom 1:20-22
    3 verses
    78%

    20For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes– his eternal power and divine nature– have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

    21For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

    22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

  • 1 Cor 2:5-8
    4 verses
    77%

    5so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God.

    6Wisdom from God Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing.

    7Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.

    8None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

  • Job 28:20
    75%

    20God Alone Has Wisdom“But wisdom– where does it come from? Where is the place of understanding?

  • Jer 8:9
    74%

    9Your wise men will be put to shame. They will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment. Since they have rejected the LORD’s message, what wisdom do they really have?

  • Job 28:12
    74%

    12No Price Can Buy Wisdom“But wisdom– where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding?

  • 1 Cor 4:10
    72%

    10We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored!

  • Prov 17:16
    72%

    16What’s the point of a fool having money in hand to buy wisdom, when his head is empty?

  • 1 Cor 2:14
    72%

    14The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

  • Prov 17:24
    71%

    24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.

  • Job 26:3
    71%

    3How you have advised the one without wisdom, and abundantly revealed your insight!

  • Prov 1:22
    71%

    22“How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long have mockers delighted in mockery? And how long will fools hate knowledge?

  • Eccl 6:8
    71%

    8So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?

  • Ps 94:8
    71%

    8Take notice of this, you ignorant people! You fools, when will you ever understand?

  • Ps 53:1
    71%

    1For the music director; according to the machalath style; a well-written song by David. Fools say to themselves,“There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.

  • Prov 1:20
    71%

    20Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas;

  • Prov 14:8
    71%

    8The wisdom of the shrewd person is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deception.

  • Ps 14:1
    71%

    1For the music director; by David. Fools say to themselves,“There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.

  • Eccl 2:16
    71%

    16For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies– just like the fool!

  • Prov 14:33
    71%

    33Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; it is not known in the inner parts of fools.

  • Jer 4:22
    70%

    22The LORD answered,“This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They are skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good.”

  • Prov 14:6
    70%

    6The scorner sought wisdom–there was none, but understanding was easy for a discerning person.

  • 2 Cor 11:19
    70%

    19For since you are so wise, you put up with fools gladly.

  • Prov 19:3
    70%

    3A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the LORD.

  • Rom 11:34
    70%

    34For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?

  • 1 Cor 1:30
    70%

    30He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

  • 2 Cor 4:4
    70%

    4among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

  • Eccl 7:25
    70%

    25True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.

  • Eccl 10:3
    70%

    3Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.

  • Prov 18:2
    70%

    2A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.

  • 2 Cor 11:16
    70%

    16Paul’s Sufferings for Christ I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

  • Eccl 9:16
    70%

    16So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.