1 Corinthians – Chapter 1

New Testament31 Verses

Chapter Summary

1 Corinthians 1 opens with the words: "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother," The chapter centers on Paul and Apollo. Across its 31 verses, two threads run through the text: wisdom for daily living and faith and trust in God. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother,

2To the church of God that is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place of theirs and ours.

3Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

4I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus:

5That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance and in all knowledge;

6As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,

7So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the days of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms among you: but that you be perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment.

11For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12Now this I say, that every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13Is Christ divided? Was Paul then crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14I give God thanks, that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Caius:

15Lest any should say that you were baptized in my name.

16And I baptized also the household of Stephanus. Besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.

17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

18For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness: but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

19For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: and the prudence of the prudent I will reject.

20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21For, 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.

22For both the Jews require signs: and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

23But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

24But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble.

27But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise: and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong.

28And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen: and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are:

29That no flesh should glory in his sight.

30But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption:

31That, as it is written: He that glorieth may glory in the Lord.

Important Verses in 1 Corinthians 1

Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:3

God is faithful: by whom you are called unto the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9

For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness: but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption:

1 Corinthians 1:30

Historical Context

1 Corinthians addresses the divided church of Corinth, called back to unity and holiness within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 1 of 16 opens the book and sets the stage for everything that follows. It is a apostolic teaching addressed to a Christian community with 31 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Paul and Apollo, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother," The chapter ends with: "That, as it is written: He that glorieth may glory in the Lord. " In terms of historical background, Corinth was a wealthy, cosmopolitan port city, and its young church mirrored its problems: factions, lawsuits, immorality, and confusion about worship. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About AD 56, from Ephesus.

Who Wrote It

The Apostle Paul

When It Was Written

About AD 56, from Ephesus

Catholic Commentary

The apostolic author instructs the Church on doctrine, morality, and community life. A pivotal line is verse 3: "Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." The passage repeatedly touches on wisdom for daily living.

Catholic exegesis reads 1 Corinthians 1 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Paul's teaching on the Eucharist and the body of Christ (CIC 1329, 791). St. John Chrysostom and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 2215).

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that Now you are the body of Christ. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, 1 Corinthians 1 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • Faith is a gift and a decision: entrusting ourselves entirely to God and to His promises.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.

People in This Chapter

Paul4 mentionsApollo1 mention

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims 1 Corinthians Chapter 1 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in 1 Corinthians Chapter 1. At the moral level, repentance and the mercy of God challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 1988).

If this passage raises questions, seek the Church's teaching through the Catechism, a faithful priest, or sound Catholic commentaries. Private interpretation must remain in harmony with the Magisterium (CIC 2466).

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1 Corinthians Chapter 1 about?

1 Corinthians 1 contains 31 verses. It opens with "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes a brother," and closes with "That, as it is written: He that glorieth may glory in the Lord. ". The book as a whole is epistle.

What is a key verse in 1 Corinthians 1?

One of the most significant verses is verse 3: "Grace to you and peace, from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 1 Corinthians Chapter 1?

This chapter mentions Paul, Apollo.

Who wrote 1 Corinthians and when?

The Apostle Paul. About AD 56, from Ephesus.

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