1 Corinthians 1:21
Modern Translations
New International Version
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

New Living Translation
Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.

English Standard Version
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

Berean Study Bible
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

New American Standard Bible
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

NASB 1995
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

NASB 1977
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Amplified Bible
For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior].

Christian Standard Bible
For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.

Contemporary English Version
God was wise and decided not to let the people of this world use their wisdom to learn about him. Instead, God chose to save only those who believe the foolish message we preach.

Good News Translation
For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called "foolish" message we preach, God decided to save those who believe.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The world with its wisdom was unable to recognize God in terms of his own wisdom. So God decided to use the nonsense of the Good News we speak to save those who believe.

International Standard Version
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe through the nonsense of our preaching.

NET Bible
For 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.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

New King James Version
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

King James 2000 Bible
For since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

New Heart English Bible
For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

World English Bible
For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn't know God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

American King James Version
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

American Standard Version
For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.

A Faithful Version
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its own wisdom did not know God, it pleased God to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching.

Darby Bible Translation
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom has not known God, God has been pleased by the foolishness of the preaching to save those that believe.

English Revised Version
For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.

Webster's Bible Translation
For when in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
For seeing the worlde by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of GOD, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue:

Bishops' Bible of 1568
For after that the world through wisedome knewe not God, in the wisedome of God: it pleased God through foolishnesse of preachyng to saue them that beleue.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Hath not God made the wyssdome of this worlde foolishnesse? For in so moch as the worlde by the wyssdome therof knewe not God in his wyssdome, it pleased God thorow foolish preachinge to saue them yt beleue.

Tyndale Bible of 1526
Hath not God made the wysdome of this worlde folisshnes? For when the worlde thorow wysdome knew not God in ye wysdome of God: it pleased God thorow folisshnes of preachinge to save them yt beleve.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.

Berean Literal Bible
For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those believing.

Young's Literal Translation
for, seeing in the wisdom of God the world through the wisdom knew not God, it did please God through the foolishness of the preaching to save those believing.

Smith's Literal Translation
For since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, God was contented by the foolishness of proclaiming to save them believing.

Literal Emphasis Translation
For seeing that indeed in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom knew not God, it well-pleased God because of the absurd folly of preaching to save those believing.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For the world did not know God through wisdom, and so, in the wisdom of God, it pleased God to accomplish the salvation of believers, through the foolishness of our preaching.

Translations from Aramaic
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And because, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God by wisdom, God was willing that by the insanity of preaching he would give life to those who believe.

Lamsa Bible
Because all the wisdom which God had given was not sufficient for the world to know God, it pleased God to save those who believe by the simple gospel.

NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For, since in the wisdom of God, the world, by its wisdom, knew not God, it has pleased God, through the foolishness of what is preached, to save those who believe.

Godbey New Testament
For since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.

Haweis New Testament
for since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Mace New Testament
for whereas the world, with all their learning, did not distinguish the characters of his divine wisdom, in his works, it pleased God to save those who believe, by preaching, which they counted folly.

Weymouth New Testament
For after the world by its wisdom--as God in His wisdom had ordained--had failed to gain the knowledge of God, God was pleased, by the apparent foolishness of the Message which we preach, to save those who accepted it.

Worrell New Testament
For, since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom knew not God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe;

Worsley New Testament
For, since in the wisdom of God the world by it's wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by what they called the folly of preaching to save those that believe.
















1 Corinthians 1:20
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