The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 3:19 Explained

1 Corinthians 3:19

KJV: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

YLT: for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it hath been written, 'Who is taking the wise in their craftiness;'

Darby: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He who takes the wise in their craftiness.

ASV: For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  the wisdom  of this  world  is  foolishness  with  God.  For  it is written,  He taketh  the wise  in  their own  craftiness. 

What does 1 Corinthians 3:19 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 3:10-23 - Build On The Sure Foundation
We are called upon to contribute our share to the building of saved souls which is rising through the ages, to be an habitation of God through the Spirit, Ephesians 2:21-22. But in addition, we must not neglect the building of our own character on the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ. God has placed Him to be the foundation of every structure which shall stand firm in all the tests of fire through which we are destined to pass. We must needs go on building day by day. Whatever we do or say is another stone or brick. It is for us to choose which heap of material we take it from; whether from that of the wood, hay, or stubble, or from that of the gold, silver, or precious stones.
All things serve the man or woman who serves Christ. The lowliest life may be a link in a chain of golden ministry which binds earth and heaven. Our Lord was constantly described in the Old Testament as the Servant of God. He said that He had come down to earth to do His Father's will. "I am among you as he that serveth." When we serve Him as He serves the great purposes of God, then everything begins to minister to us. The extremes of existence, of creation, and of duration, all serve us. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 3

1  Milk is fit for children
3  Strife and division, arguments of a fleshly mind
7  He who plants and He who waters are nothing
9  The ministers are God's fellow workmen
11  Christ the only foundation
16  You are the temples of God, which must be kept holy
19  The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 3:19

Foolishness with God [μωρια παρα τωι τεωι]
Whose standard does a church (temple) of God wish, that of this world or of God? The two standards are not the same. It is a pertinent inquiry with us all whose idea rules in our church. Paul quotes Job 5:13. [source]
That taketh [ο δρασσομενος]
Old verb δρασσομαι — drassomai to grasp with the hand, is used here for the less vivid word in the lxx καταλαμβανων — katalambanōn It occurs nowhere else in the N.T., but appears in the papyri to lay hands on. Job is quoted in the N.T. only here and in Romans 11:35 and both times with variations from the lxx. This word occurs in Ecclesiasticus 26:7; 34:2. In Psalms 2:12 the lxx has δραχαστε παιδειας — draxasthe paideias lay hold on instruction. Craftiness (πανουργιαι — panourgiāi). The πανουργος — panourgos man is ready for any or all work (if bad enough). So it means versatile cleverness (Robertson and Plummer), astutia (Vulgate). [source]
Craftiness [πανουργιαι]
The πανουργος — panourgos man is ready for any or all work (if bad enough). So it means versatile cleverness (Robertson and Plummer), astutia (Vulgate). [source]
He taketh [ὁ δρασσόμενος]
Cited from Job 5:13, but not following the Septuagint verbally. The verb occurs only here, meaning to grasp with the hand. Rev., more accurately, gives the force of the participle with the article, he that taketh. This is the only allusion to the book of Job in the New Testament, except James 5:11. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 3:19

Luke 15:8 Ten pieces of silver [δραχμας δεκα]
The only instance in the N.T. of this old word for a coin of 65.5 grains about the value of the common δηναριυς — dēnarius (about eighteen cents), a quarter of a Jewish shekel. The double drachma (διδραχμον — didrachmon) occurs in the N.T. only in Matthew 17:24. The root is from δρασσομαι — drassomai to grasp with the hand (1 Corinthians 3:19), and so a handful of coin. Ten drachmas would be equal to nearly two dollars, but in purchasing power much more. [source]
1 Corinthians 1:18 To them that are perishing [τοις μεν απολλυμενοις]
Dative of disadvantage (personal interest). Present middle participle is here timeless, those in the path to destruction (not annihilation. See note on 2 Thessalonians 2:10). Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3. Foolishness (μωρια — mōria). Folly. Old word from μωρος — mōros foolish. In N.T. only in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:19. But unto us which are being saved Sharp contrast to those that are perishing and same construction with the articular participle. No reason for the change of pronouns in English. This present passive participle is again timeless. Salvation is described by Paul as a thing done in the past, “we were saved” (Romans 8:24), as a present state, “ye have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5), as a process, “ye are being saved” (1 Corinthians 15:2), as a future result, “thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The power of God (δυναμις τεου — dunamis theou). So in Romans 1:16. No other message has this dynamite of God (1 Corinthians 4:20). God‘s power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages, now as always. No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them. The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time. [source]
1 Corinthians 1:18 Foolishness [μωρια]
Folly. Old word from μωρος — mōros foolish. In N.T. only in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:19. [source]
1 Corinthians 4:6 That in us ye may learn [ινα εν ημιν ματητε]
Final clause with ινα — hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of μαντανω — manthanō to learn. As an object lesson in our cases It is no more true of Paul and Apollos than of other ministers, but the wrangles in Corinth started about them. So Paul boldly puts himself and Apollos to the fore in the discussion of the principles involved. Not to go beyond the things which are written (το Μη υπερ α γεγραπται — to Mē huper ha gegraptai). It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το — to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε — mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται — Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη — mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20. That ye be not puffed up Sub-final use of ινα — hina (second use in this sentence) with notion of result. It is not certain whether πυσιουστε — phusiousthe (late verb form like πυσιαω πυσαω — phusiaōινα — phusaō to blow up, to inflate, to puff up), used only by Paul in the N.T., is present indicative with ζηλουτε — hina like ινα γινωσκομεν — zēloute in Galatians 4:17 (cf. Πυσιοω — hina ginōskomen in 1 John 5:20) or the present subjunctive by irregular contraction (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 203, 342f.), probably the present indicative. πυσις — Phusioō is from πυσαω — phusis (nature) and so meant to make natural, but it is used by Paul just like πυσιαω — phusaō or πυσα — phusiaō (from εις υπερ του ενος κατα του ετερου — phusa a pair of bellows), a vivid picture of self-conceit. One for the one against the other (υπερ — heis huper tou henos kata tou heterou). This is the precise idea of this idiom of partitive apposition. This is the rule with partisans. They are “for” (κατα — huper) the one and “against” (του ετερου — kata down on, the genitive case) the other (ετεροδοχ — tou heterou not merely another or a second, but the different sort, heterodox). [source]
1 Corinthians 4:6 Not to go beyond the things which are written [το Μη υπερ α γεγραπται]
It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το — to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε — mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται — Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη — mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 3:19 mean?

The for wisdom of the world this foolishness with - God is It has been written for [He is] the [One] catching the wise in the craftiness of them
γὰρ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μωρία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ἐστιν γέγραπται γάρ δρασσόμενος τοὺς σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτῶν

σοφία  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: σοφία  
Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κόσμου  world 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κόσμος  
Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.
τούτου  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
μωρία  foolishness 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: μωρία  
Sense: foolishness.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
γέγραπται  It  has  been  written 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
  [He  is]  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δρασσόμενος  catching 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: δράσσομαι  
Sense: to grasp with the hand, take.
σοφοὺς  wise 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: σοφός  
Sense: wise.
πανουργίᾳ  craftiness 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πανουργία  
Sense: craftiness, cunning.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.