1 Corinthians 1:19

“For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the discerning I will set aside.”
1 Corinthians 1:19 · direct translation from the Greek

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To some the cross is foolishness; to those being saved, it is the power of GodThe Cross The message of the cross sounds like foolishness to some and is God's power to othersWisdom

With the Greek beneath

Forγάρit is written:γέγραπταιI will destroyἈπολῶthe wisdomτὴν σοφίανof the wise,τῶν σοφῶνandκαὶthe understandingτὴν σύνεσινof the discerningτῶν συνετῶνI will set aside.ἀθετήσω

Quotation · Isaiah 29:14

Go to Isaiah 29:14

Where the Hebrew says “the understanding of its men of understanding will be hidden,” Paul says “the understanding of the understanding I will set aside.”

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (1 Corinthians 1:19)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: γέγραπται γάρ Ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν ἀθετήσω

Hebrew (Masoretic text): לָכֵן הִנְנִי יוֹסִף לְהַפְלִיא אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה הַפְלֵא וָפֶלֶא וְאָבְדָה חָכְמַת חֲכָמָיו וּבִינַת נְבֹנָיו תִּסְתַּתָּר

Septuagint (Isaiah 29:14 in the Septuagint numbering): διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ προσθήσω τοῦ μεταθεῖναι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον· καὶ μεταθήσω αὐτούς, καὶ ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν, καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν κρύψω.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 10 consecutive words: “Ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

1 Corinthians 1:19, word by word

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears

I will destroyἈπολῶApolō

destroy

To do away with someone or something: take a life or ruin it.

Where else “Apolō” appears

the wisdomσοφίανsophian

wisdom

Wisdom.

Where else “sophian” appears

of the wiseσοφῶνsophōn

wise

Wise, skilled, clever.

Where else “sophōn” appears

the understandingσύνεσινsynesin

understanding

Understanding, insight.

Where else “synesin” appears

of the discerningσυνετῶνsynetōn

intelligent, understanding

Intelligent, understanding, wise.

Where else “synetōn” appears

I will set asideἀθετήσωathetēsō

set aside

To make something established worthless.

Where else “athetēsō” appears

Translation note

Isaiah 29:14, according to the Greek, which ends “I will hide” where Paul writes “I will set aside.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Isaiah 29:14

Where the Hebrew says “the understanding of its men of understanding will be hidden,” Paul says “the understanding of the understanding I will set aside.”

See them side by side

1 Corinthians 1:19

¹⁹For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the discerning I will set aside.

Isaiah 29:14

¹⁴therefore look, I will again do wonders with this people, a wonder and a marvel; and the wisdom of its wise men will perish, and the understanding of its men of understanding will be hidden.”

The context

18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved, to us, it is the power of God.

19 · This verse (above)

20Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 1

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