Fratres: Verbum crucis pereúntibus quidem stultítia est: iis autem, qui salvi fiunt, id est nobis, Dei virtus est. Scriptum est enim: Perdam sapiéntiam sapiéntium et prudéntiam prudéntium reprobábo. Ubi sápiens? ubi scriba? ubi conquisítor hujus sǽculi? Nonne stultam fecit Deus sapiéntiam hujus mundi? Nam quia in Dei sapiéntia non cognóvit mundus per sapiéntiam Deum: placuit Deo per stultítiam prædicatiónis salvos fácere credéntes. Quóniam et Judæi signa petunt, et Græci sapiéntiam quærunt: nos autem prædicámus Christum crucifíxum: Judæis quidem scándalum, géntibus autem stultítiam, ipsis autem vocátis Judæis, atque Græcis. Christum Dei virtútem et Dei sapiéntiam: quia, quod stultum est Dei, sapiéntius est homínibus: et, quod infírmum est Dei, fórtius est homínibus. Ex ipso autem vos estis in Christo Jesu, qui factus est nobis sapiéntia a Deo et justítia ei sanctificátio et redémptio.
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. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject. 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? 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. For both the Jews require signs, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption: