1 Corinthians 1:26 Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.

Bible > 1 Corinthians > Chapter 1 > Verse 26

◄ 1 Corinthians 1:26 ►

New International Version
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

New Living Translation
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.

English Standard Version
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

Berean Standard Bible
Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.

Berean Literal Bible
For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

King James Bible
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

New King James Version
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

New American Standard Bible
For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

NASB 1995
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

NASB 1977
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

Legacy Standard Bible
For consider your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.

Amplified Bible
Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth.

Christian Standard Bible
Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

American Standard Version
For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

Contemporary English Version
My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families.

English Revised Version
For behold your calling, brethren, how that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Brothers and sisters, consider what you were when God called you to be Christians. Not many of you were wise from a human point of view. You were not in powerful positions or in the upper social classes.

Good News Translation
Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing.

International Standard Version
Brothers, think about your own calling. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

Majority Standard Bible
Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.

NET Bible
Think 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.

New Heart English Bible
For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise from a human perspective, not many mighty, not many of noble birth.

Webster's Bible Translation
For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called:

Weymouth New Testament
For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called.

World English Bible
For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
for see your calling, brothers, that not many [are] wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

Berean Literal Bible
For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not many of noble birth.

Young's Literal Translation
for see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

Smith's Literal Translation
For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many powerful, not, many well born:

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble:

Catholic Public Domain Version
So take care of your vocation, brothers. For not many are wise according to the flesh, not many are powerful, not many are noble.

New American Bible
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

New Revised Standard Version
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For consider also your own calling, my brethren, not many among you are wise in terms of worldly things, and not many among you are mighty, and not many among you belong to the nobility.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For you see also your calling my brethren, that not many among you are wise in the flesh, neither are many among you mighty, neither are many among you children of a great family line.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble call you;

Godbey New Testament
For you see your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many influential, not many high-born:

Haweis New Testament
For ye see your calling, brethren, that not many fleshly wise, not many men in power, not many men of high birth, are called:

Mace New Testament
for consider, brethren, that not many worldly wise, not many men of power, not many men of birth are among you that are called.

Weymouth New Testament
For consider, brethren, God's call to you. Not many who are wise with merely human wisdom, not many of position and influence, not many of noble birth have been called.

Worrell New Testament
For ye behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are chosen;

Worsley New Testament
For ye see by your calling, brethren, that not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called:

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Wisdom from God
25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 26 Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

James 2:1-6
My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism. / Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. / If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” ...

John 7:48
“Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?

Luke 1:51-52
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. / He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

Matthew 19:30
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.

Romans 9:11-12
Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, / not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. / But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Zephaniah 3:12
But I will leave within you a meek and humble people, and they will trust in the name of the LORD.

Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 6:20
Looking up at His disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Acts 4:13
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. / Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Ephesians 1:18
I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,

Treasury of Scripture

For you see your calling, brothers, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

that.

1 Corinthians 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 Corinthians 2:3-6,13
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling…

1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise…

not many mighty.

Luke 1:3
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

Luke 18:24,25
And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! …

John 4:46-53
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum…

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1 Corinthians 1

1. After his salutation and thanksgiving for the Corinthians,
10. Paul exhorts them to unity,
12. and reproves their dissensions.
18. God destroys the wisdom of the wise,
21. by the foolishness of preaching;
26. and calls not the wise, mighty, and noble,
28. but the foolish, weak, and men of no account.

Berean Study Bible

Brothers
The term "brothers" (Greek: ἀδελφοί, adelphoi) is a term of endearment and unity, indicating the familial bond among believers in Christ. In the early church, this term was inclusive of both men and women, emphasizing the spiritual kinship that transcends biological ties. Paul uses this term to remind the Corinthians of their shared identity in Christ, which is more significant than any social or cultural distinctions.

Consider
The Greek word for "consider" (βλέπετε, blepete) implies a careful observation or reflection. Paul is urging the Corinthians to reflect deeply on their own experiences and the circumstances of their calling. This introspection is meant to lead them to a greater understanding of God's grace and the divine wisdom that often contradicts worldly expectations.

The time of your calling
The phrase "the time of your calling" refers to the moment when the Corinthians were called to faith in Christ. This calling is not based on human merit but on God's sovereign choice. The concept of "calling" (κλῆσις, klēsis) in the New Testament often denotes a divine invitation to salvation and service, highlighting God's initiative in the process of redemption.

Not many of you were wise by human standards
Here, "wise by human standards" (σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα, sophoi kata sarka) refers to the worldly wisdom that was highly valued in Greco-Roman society. Paul points out that God's calling does not depend on human wisdom or intellectual prowess. This challenges the Corinthian believers to value divine wisdom, which often appears foolish to the world, over human wisdom.

Not many were powerful
The term "powerful" (δυνατοί, dynatoi) refers to those with influence, authority, or social standing. In the context of Corinth, a city known for its social stratification, Paul emphasizes that God's call is not limited to the socially elite. This serves as a reminder that God's power is made perfect in weakness, and His kingdom operates on principles contrary to worldly power dynamics.

Not many were of noble birth
"Noble birth" (εὐγενεῖς, eugenēs) indicates those of high social rank or aristocratic lineage. In a culture that prized noble heritage, Paul underscores that God's call transcends social hierarchies. This reflects the biblical theme that God often chooses the lowly and despised to accomplish His purposes, thereby nullifying human boasting and exalting His grace.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26) For ye see your calling.--Better, imperative (as in 1Corinthians 8:9; 1Corinthians 10:18; 1Corinthians 16:10), For see your calling. The Apostle directs them to look at the facts regarding their own calling to Christianity, as an illustration of the truth of what he has just written, viz., that though there were, perhaps, a few of high birth and education who were called, and responded to that call, yet that these are "not many." It has been well remarked, "the ancient Christians were, for the greater part, slaves and persons of humble rank; the whole history of the progress of the Church is in fact a gradual triumph of the unlearned over the learned, of the lowly over the great, until the emperor himself cast his crown at the foot of Christ's cross" (Olshausen); or, as an English writer puts it, "Christianity with the irresistible might of its weakness shook the world."

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 26-31. - The method of God in the spread of the gospel. Verse 26. - For behold; or, consider (imperative, as in 1 Corinthians 10:15; Philippians 3:2). Your calling; the nature and method of your heavenly calling; the "principle God has followed in calling you" (Beza); see Ephesians 4:1; Hebrews 3:1. Not many wise after the flesh. Those who hear the calling arc alone the truly wise; but they are net wise with a carnal wisdom, not wise as men count wisdom; they have but little of the wisdom of the serpent and the wisdom of "this age." The Sanhedrin looked down on the apostles as "unlearned and ignorant men" (Acts 4:13). "God," says St. Augustine, "caught orators by fishermen, not fishermen by orators." Not many mighty; i.e. not many persons of power and influence. Almost the first avowed Gentile Christian of the highest rank was the consul Flavius Clemens, uncle of the Emperor Domitian. This was the more marked because the Jews won many rich and noble proselytes, such as the Queen Helena and the royal family of Adiabene, Poppaea the wife of Nero, and others. The only illustrious converts mentioned in the New Testament are Joseph of Arimathaea, Nicodemus, Sergius Paulus, and Dionysius the Areopagitc. Not many noble. All this was a frequent taunt against Christians, but they made it their boast. Christianity came to redeem and elevate, not the few, but the many, and the many must ever be the weak and the humble. Hence Christ called fishermen as his apostles, and was known as "the Friend of publicans and sinners." None of the rulers believed on him (John 7:48). It must, however, be borne in mind that these words apply mainly and primarily to the first age of Christianity. It was essential that its victory should be due to Divine weapons only, and that it should shake the world "by the irresistible might of weakness." After a time, the wisest and the noblest and the most powerful were called. Kings became the nursing fathers of the gospel, and queens its nursing mothers. Yet the ideal truth remains, and human power shows utter weakness, and human wisdom is capable of sinking into the depths of folly.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Brothers,
ἀδελφοί (adelphoi)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

consider
Βλέπετε (Blepete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

[ the time of ] your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

calling:
κλῆσιν (klēsin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2821: A calling, invitation; in the NT, always of a divine call. From a shorter form of kaleo; an invitation.

Not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

many [of you]
πολλοὶ (polloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

[were] wise
σοφοὶ (sophoi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4680: Wise, learned, cultivated, skilled, clever. Akin to saphes; wise.

by human standards;
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

many [were]
πολλοὶ (polloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

powerful;
δυνατοί (dynatoi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1415: (a) of persons: powerful, able, (b) of things: possible. From dunamai; powerful or capable; neuter possible.

not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

many [were]
πολλοὶ (polloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

of noble birth.
εὐγενεῖς (eugeneis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2104: (a) of noble birth, of high birth, (b) noble in nature. From eu and ginomai; well born, i.e. high in rank, or generous.

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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 1:26 For you see your calling brothers that (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)