1COR 1:25 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) because God’s foolishness is better than humankind’s wisdom, and God’s weakness is greater than humankind’s strength.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

UST This is because what God does that seems foolish is wiser than anything that humans do, and what God does that seems weak is stronger than anything that humans do.

BSB § For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom,[fn] and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

BLB For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men.

AICNT For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

OEB For God’s “folly” is wiser than people, and God’s “weakness” is stronger than people.

WEBBE because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

LSV because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;

FBV For the foolishness of God is wiser than we are; and the weakness of God is stronger than we are.

TCNT For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

T4T Unbelievers may think [IRO] that God was acting foolishly by doing that, but the truth is that he was acting more wisely than unbelievers who just think that [IRO] they are wise. And unbelievers may think that God was acting weakly by sending his son to die, but he was acting more powerfully than unbelievers who just think [IRO] that they act powerfully.

LEB For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,[fn] and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.[fn]
¶

1:25 Literally “man”

BBE Because what seems foolish in God is wiser than men; and what seems feeble in God is stronger than men.

Moff No Moff 1COR book available

Wymth Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

ASV Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

DRA For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

YLT because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;

Drby Because the foolishness of [fn]God is wiser than men, and the weakness of [fn]God is stronger than men.

1.25 Elohim

RV Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Wbstr Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

KJB-1769 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

KJB-1611 Because the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men: and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.
(Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men: and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.)

Bshps For the foolishnesse of God, is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God, is stronger then men.
(For the foolishness of God, is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God, is stronger then men.)

Gnva For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.
(For the foolishness of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men. )

Cvdl For the foolishnes of God is wyser then men: and the weaknes of God is stroger the men.

TNT For the folishnes of God is wyser then men: and the weakenes of God is stronger then men.
(For the foolishness of God is wyser then men: and the weakenes of God is stronger then men. )

Wycl For that that is foli thing of God, is wiser than men; and that that is the feble thing of God, is strengere than men.
(For that that is folly thing of God, is wiser than men; and that that is the feble thing of God, is strengere than men.)

Luth Denn die göttliche Torheit ist weiser, denn die Menschen sind, und die göttliche Schwachheit ist stärker, denn die Menschen sind.
(Because the göttliche Torheit is weiser, because the Menschen are, and the göttliche Schwachheit is stärker, because the Menschen sind.)

ClVg quia quod stultum est Dei, sapientius est hominibus: et quod infirmum est Dei, fortius est hominibus.
(because that stultum it_is of_God, sapientius it_is hominibus: and that weak it_is of_God, fortius it_is hominibus. )

UGNT ὅτι τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν, καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
(hoti to mōron tou Theou, sofōteron tōn anthrōpōn estin, kai to asthenes tou Theou, isⱪuroteron tōn anthrōpōn.)

SBL-GNT ὅτι τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν, καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ θεοῦ ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ⸀ἀνθρώπων.
(hoti to mōron tou theou sofōteron tōn anthrōpōn estin, kai to asthenes tou theou isⱪuroteron tōn ⸀anthrōpōn.)

TC-GNT Ὅτι τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστί, καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων [fn]ἐστί.
(Hoti to mōron tou Theou sofōteron tōn anthrōpōn esti, kai to asthenes tou Theou isⱪuroteron tōn anthrōpōn esti. )

1:25 εστι ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ὅτι

because

Here, For introduces the reason why the seemingly foolish message about Christ is power and wisdom (1:24). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this connection with a word that introduces a reason or a short phrase that connects this verse to the previous verse or verses. Alternate translation: [God works through foolishness because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / irony

τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ & τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ

the foolish ¬the ˱of˲_God & the weak ¬the ˱of˲_God

Paul describes God as having foolishness and weakness. He does not actually think that God is weak and foolish, but he is speaking of them from the perspective of the world and its wisdom. From the perspective of the world, Paul’s God is indeed foolish and weak. What Paul means to say is that what the world sees as foolishness and weakness is still wiser and stronger than anything that humans have to offer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this way of speaking with an expression that indicates that Paul is using irony or speaking from another person’s perspective. Alternate translation: [the apparent foolishness of God … the apparent weakness of God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

(Occurrence -1) τῶν ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν καὶ τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων)

The words translated men in both places in this verse do not refer just to male people. Rather, Paul means any human of any sex. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate men to refer to both genders or use a gender-neutral word. Alternate translation: [women and men … women and men]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸ μωρὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ & ἐστίν

the foolish ¬the ˱of˲_God & is

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe foolishness that comes from God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind this form with a phrase that indicates that God does foolishness. Alternate translation: [the foolish things that God does are]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν

wiser_‹than› ¬the humans is

Paul does not include all the words that are needed in many languages to make a complete comparison. If you do need these words in your language, you could add whatever is needed to make the comparison complete, such “the wisdom.” Alternate translation: [is wiser than the wisdom of men]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸ ἀσθενὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ

the the weak ¬the ˱of˲_God

Here Paul uses the possessive form to describe weakness that comes from God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form by translating this idea with a phrase that indicates that God does weakness. Alternate translation: [the weak things that God does are]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἰσχυρότερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων

stronger_‹than› ¬the humans

Paul does not include all the words that are needed in many languages to make a complete comparison. If you do need these words in your language, you could add whatever is needed to make the comparison complete, such “the strength.” Alternate translation: [stronger than the strength of men]

Parallel 1COR 1:25