The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 53: 1 Corinthians

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS

St. Paul, having planted the faithful in Corinth, where he had preached
a year and a half and converted a great many, went to Ephesus. After
being there three years, he wrote this first Epistle to the Corinthians
and sent it by the same persons, Stephanus, Fortunatus and Achaicus, who
had brought their letter to him. It was written about twenty-four years
after our Lord's Ascension and contains several matters appertaining to
faith and morals and also to ecclesiastical discipline.

1 Corinthians Chapter 1

He reproveth their dissensions about their teachers. The world was to be
saved by preaching of the cross, and not by human wisdom or eloquence.

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

1:2. To 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.

1:3. Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus
Christ.

1:4. I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that
is given you in Christ Jesus:

1:5. That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance and
in all knowledge;

1:6. As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,

1:7. So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the
manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:8. Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the days
of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9. God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1:10. Now 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.

1:11. For 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.

1:12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul;
and I am of Apollo; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

1:13. Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? Or were you
baptized in the name of Paul?

1:14. I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but Crispus and
Caius:

1:15. Lest any should say that you were baptized in my name.

1:16. And I baptized also the household of Stephanus. Besides, I know
not whether I baptized any other.

1:17. For 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.

1:18. For 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.

1:19. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: and the
prudence of the prudent I will reject.

1:20. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of
this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1:21. For, 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.

1:22. For both the Jews require signs: and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

1:23. But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a
stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

1:24. But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the
power of God and the wisdom of God.

1:25. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of
God is stronger than men.

The foolishness, etc... That is to say, what appears foolish to the
world in the ways of God, is indeed most wise; and what appears weak is
indeed above all the strength and comprehension of man.

1:26. For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.

1:27. But 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.

1:28. And 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:

1:29. That no flesh should glory in his sight.

1:30. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us
wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption:

1:31. That, as it is written: He that glorieth may glory in the Lord.