1 Corinthians 3:20

“and again: The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile.”
1 Corinthians 3:20 · direct translation from the Greek

Study it in the app

With the Greek beneath

andκαὶagain:πάλινThe LordΚύριοςknowsγινώσκειthe reasoningsτοὺς διαλογισμοὺςof the wise,τῶν σοφῶνthatὅτιthey areεἰσὶνfutile.μάταιοι

Quotation · Psalms 94:11

Go to Psalms 94:11

Where the psalm says “the thoughts of human beings,” Paul says “the reasonings of the wise.”

Formula: καὶ πάλιν “and again” (1 Corinthians 3:20)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: καὶ πάλιν Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν σοφῶν ὅτι εἰσὶν μάταιοι

Hebrew (Masoretic text): יְהוָה יֹדֵעַ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָדָם כִּי הֵמָּה הָבֶל

Septuagint (Psalms 93:11 in the Septuagint numbering): Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅτι εἰσὶν μάταιοι.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 5 consecutive words: “Κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν.”

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

1 Corinthians 3:20, word by word

againπάλινpalin

again

Once more, repeating what came before.

Where else “palin” appears

The LordΚύριοςKyrios

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “Kyrios” appears

knowsγινώσκειginōskei

know

To be truly acquainted with someone, or grasp something fully.

Where else “ginōskei” appears

the reasoningsδιαλογισμοὺςdialogismous

thought

What one thinks or wonders inside.

Where else “dialogismous” appears

of the wiseσοφῶνsophōn

wise

Wise, skilled, clever.

Where else “sophōn” appears

they areεἰσὶνeisin

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “eisin” appears

futileμάταιοιmataioi

worthless, futile

Vain, futile, worthless.

Where else “mataioi” appears

Translation note

Psalm 94:11; the Hebrew says “of man” and the Greek, “of men.”

Parallel passages

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

Quotation · Psalms 94:11

Where the psalm says “the thoughts of human beings,” Paul says “the reasonings of the wise.”

See them side by side

1 Corinthians 3:20

²⁰and again: The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are futile.

Psalms 94:11

¹¹YHWH knows the thoughts of human beings, that they are vapor.

The context

19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness;

20 · This verse (above)

21So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

Read all of 1 Corinthians 3

How to use it