1 Corinthians 1:25

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

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

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • 1 Cor 1:18 : 18 The 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.
  • 1 Cor 1:27-29 : 27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, 29 so that no one can boast in his presence.
  • 2 Cor 13:4 : 4 For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you.
  • Rom 11:33-36 : 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? 35 Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him? 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.
  • Exod 13:17 : 17 The Leading of God When Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them by the way to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said,“Lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt when they experience war.”
  • Exod 14:2-4 : 2 “Tell the Israelites that they must turn and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you are to camp by the sea before Baal Zephon opposite it. 3 Pharaoh will think regarding the Israelites,‘They are wandering around confused in the land– the desert has closed in on them.’ 4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them. I will gain honor because of Pharaoh and because of all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what they did.
  • Josh 6:2-5 : 2 The LORD told Joshua,“See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you, along with its king and its warriors. 3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time; do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. 5 When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, have the whole army give a loud battle cry. Then the city wall will collapse and the warriors should charge straight ahead.”
  • Judg 7:2-8 : 2 The LORD said to Gideon,“You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag,‘Our own strength has delivered us.’ 3 Now, announce to the men,‘Whoever is shaking with fear may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” Twenty-two thousand men went home; ten thousand remained. 4 The LORD spoke to Gideon again,“There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say,‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; when I say,‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.” 5 So he brought the men down to the water. Then the LORD said to Gideon,“Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.” 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths; the rest of the men kneeled to drink water. 7 The LORD said to Gideon,“With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.” 8 The men who were chosen took supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.
  • Judg 15:15-16 : 15 He happened to see a solid jawbone of a donkey. He grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. 16 Samson then said,“With the jawbone of a donkey I have left them in heaps; with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck down a thousand men!”
  • 1 Sam 17:40-51 : 40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine. 41 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. 43 The Philistine said to David,“Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David,“Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!” 45 But David replied to the Philistine,“You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 46 This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God, 47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves! For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.” 48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. 49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground. 50 David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. 51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s sword, drew it from its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.
  • 1 Kgs 20:14-22 : 14 Ahab asked,“By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered,“This is what the LORD has said,‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab asked,“Who will launch the attack?” He answered,“You will.” 15 So Ahab assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters. 17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him,“Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18 He ordered,“Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.” 19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen. 21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria. 22 The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him,“Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you.”
  • Zech 4:6-7 : 6 Therefore he told me,“This is the LORD’s message to Zerubbabel:‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” 7 Oracle of Response“What are you, you great mountain? Because of Zerubbabel you will become a level plain! And he will bring forth the temple capstone with shoutings of‘Grace! Grace!’ because of this.”
  • Zech 12:7-8 : 7 The LORD also will deliver the homes of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah. 8 On that day the LORD himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them.

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 1:26-31
    6 verses
    85%

    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,

    29so that no one can boast in his presence.

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

    31so that, as it is written,“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

  • 1 Cor 1:17-24
    8 verses
    84%

    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.”

    20Where 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?

    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.

  • 1 Cor 3:18-21
    4 verses
    83%

    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.”

    21So then, no more boasting about mere mortals! For everything belongs to you,

  • 1 Cor 2:4-8
    5 verses
    79%

    4My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

    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.

  • 1 Cor 4:10
    77%

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

  • Rom 1:19-23
    5 verses
    75%

    19because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

    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

    23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

  • 2 Cor 13:3-4
    2 verses
    72%

    3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak toward you but is powerful among you.

    4For indeed he was crucified by reason of weakness, but he lives because of God’s power. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him, because of God’s power toward you.

  • 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.

  • 2 Cor 11:16-17
    2 verses
    71%

    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.

    17What I am saying with this boastful confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

  • 2 Cor 11:1
    70%

    1Paul and His Opponents I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

  • 2 Cor 11:19
    70%

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

  • Eph 3:10
    70%

    10The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms.

  • 2 Cor 4:7
    69%

    7An Eternal Weight of Glory But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

  • Rom 11:33
    69%

    33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways!

  • 2 Cor 11:21
    69%

    21(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about(I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.

  • 2 Cor 12:9-11
    3 verses
    69%

    9But he said to me,“My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

    10Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

    11The Signs of an Apostle I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those“super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

  • Prov 24:5
    68%

    5A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger;

  • Eccl 7:19
    68%

    19Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city.

  • Prov 19:3
    68%

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

  • Eph 1:19
    68%

    19and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.

  • Rom 16:25
    68%

    25Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,

  • Ps 53:1
    68%

    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.

  • Eph 1:8
    67%

    8that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.