KJV: 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.
YLT: 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.
Darby: 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.
ASV: 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.
| ἐπειδὴ | Since |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ἐπειδή Sense: when now, since now. |
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| σοφίᾳ | wisdom |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular Root: σοφία Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters. |
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| τοῦ | - |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Θεοῦ | of God |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities. |
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| ἔγνω | knew |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
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| κόσμος | world |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: κόσμος Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government. |
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| διὰ | through |
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Parse: Preposition Root: διά Sense: through. |
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| σοφίας | wisdom |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: σοφία Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters. |
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| τὸν | - |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Θεόν | God |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities. |
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| εὐδόκησεν | was pleased |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: εὐδοκέω Sense: it seems good to one, is one’s good pleasure. |
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| ὁ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Θεὸς | God |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities. |
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| μωρίας | foolishness |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: μωρία Sense: foolishness. |
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| τοῦ | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| κηρύγματος | proclamation |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: κήρυγμα Sense: that which is proclaimed by a herald or public crier, a proclamation by herald. |
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| σῶσαι | to save |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: ἐκσῴζω Sense: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction. |
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| τοὺς | those |
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Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| πιστεύοντας | believing |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: πιστεύω Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in. |
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Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 1:21
Since (επει epei and δη dē) with explanatory γαρ gar [source]
Article here as possessive. The two wisdoms contrasted. Knew not God (ουκ εγνω ouk egnō). Failed to know, second aorist (effective) active indicative of γινωσκω ginōskō solemn dirge of doom on both Greek philosophy and Jewish theology that failed to know God. Has modern philosophy done better? There is today even a godless theology (Humanism). “Now that God‘s wisdom has reduced the self-wise world to ignorance” (Findlay). Through the foolishness of the preaching Perhaps “proclamation” is the idea, for it is not κηρυχις kēruxis the act of heralding, but κηρυγμα kērugma the message heralded or the proclamation as in 1 Corinthians 1:23. The metaphor is that of the herald proclaiming the approach of the king (Matthew 3:1; Matthew 4:17). See also κηρυγμα kērugma in 1 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Timothy 4:17. The proclamation of the Cross seemed foolishness to the wiseacres then (and now), but it is consummate wisdom, God‘s wisdom and good-pleasure The foolishness of preaching is not the preaching of foolishness. To save them that believe (σωσαι τους πιστευοντας sōsai tous pisteuontas). This is the heart of God‘s plan of redemption, the proclamation of salvation for all those who trust Jesus Christ on the basis of his death for sin on the Cross. The mystery-religions all offered salvation by initiation and ritual as the Pharisees did by ceremonialism. Christianity reaches the heart directly by trust in Christ as the Saviour. It is God‘s wisdom. [source]
Failed to know, second aorist (effective) active indicative of γινωσκω ginōskō solemn dirge of doom on both Greek philosophy and Jewish theology that failed to know God. Has modern philosophy done better? There is today even a godless theology (Humanism). “Now that God‘s wisdom has reduced the self-wise world to ignorance” (Findlay). [source]
Perhaps “proclamation” is the idea, for it is not κηρυχις kēruxis the act of heralding, but κηρυγμα kērugma the message heralded or the proclamation as in 1 Corinthians 1:23. The metaphor is that of the herald proclaiming the approach of the king (Matthew 3:1; Matthew 4:17). See also κηρυγμα kērugma in 1 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Timothy 4:17. The proclamation of the Cross seemed foolishness to the wiseacres then (and now), but it is consummate wisdom, God‘s wisdom and good-pleasure The foolishness of preaching is not the preaching of foolishness. To save them that believe (σωσαι τους πιστευοντας sōsai tous pisteuontas). This is the heart of God‘s plan of redemption, the proclamation of salvation for all those who trust Jesus Christ on the basis of his death for sin on the Cross. The mystery-religions all offered salvation by initiation and ritual as the Pharisees did by ceremonialism. Christianity reaches the heart directly by trust in Christ as the Saviour. It is God‘s wisdom. [source]
This is the heart of God‘s plan of redemption, the proclamation of salvation for all those who trust Jesus Christ on the basis of his death for sin on the Cross. The mystery-religions all offered salvation by initiation and ritual as the Pharisees did by ceremonialism. Christianity reaches the heart directly by trust in Christ as the Saviour. It is God‘s wisdom. [source]
Rev., correctly, seeing that. [source]
Better, as Rev., giving the force of the article, “through its wisdom.” [source]
Not the act, but the substance of preaching. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:23. [source]
The word was technically used in the Old Testament of deliverance at the Messiah's coming; of salvation from the penalties of the messianic judgment, or from the evils which obstruct the messianic deliverance. See Joel 2:32; Matthew 1:21; compare Acts 2:40. Paul uses it in the ethical sense, to make one a partaker of the salvation which is through Christ. Edwards calls attention to the foregleam of this christian conception of the word in the closing paragraph of Plato's “Republic:” “And thus, Glaucon, the tale has been saved, and has not perished, and will save ( σώσειεν ) us if we are obedient to the word spoken, and we shall pass safely over the river of forgetfulness and our soul will not be defiled.” [source]