From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes---

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power.

So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world's wisdom is foolishness!

Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing.

He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important.

So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear,

Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God's Spirit. Such a person really does not understand them, and they seem to be nonsense, because their value can be judged only on a spiritual basis.

You should not fool yourself. If any of you think that you are wise by this world's standards, you should become a fool, in order to be really wise.

Jehu went back to his fellow officers, who asked him, "Is everything all right? What did that crazy fellow want with you?" "You know what he wanted," Jehu answered.

The time for punishment has come, the time when people will get what they deserve. When that happens, Israel will know it! "This prophet," you say, "is a fool. This inspired man is insane." You people hate me so much because your sin is so great.

Certain Epicurean and Stoic teachers also debated with him. Some of them asked, "What is this ignorant show-off trying to say?" Others answered, "He seems to be talking about foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.

When they heard Paul speak about a raising from death, some of them made fun of him, but others said, "We want to hear you speak about this again."

As Paul defended himself in this way, Festus shouted at him, "You are mad, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!"

"Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers.

Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

"No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master.

"Then you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and be put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me.

"Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man!

And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake."

Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

Do you already have everything you need? Are you already rich? Have you become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we could be kings together with you.

So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols.

I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

How can you say that you are wise and that you know my laws? Look, the laws have been changed by dishonest scribes.

Your wise men are put to shame; they are confused and trapped. They have rejected my words; what wisdom do they have now?

So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear,

Someone will say, "Paul's letters are severe and strong, but when he is with us in person, he is weak, and his words are nothing!"

When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

But his answer was: "My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak." I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me.

I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

You will have all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. When he deals with you, he is not weak; instead, he shows his power among you.

For even though it was in weakness that he was put to death on the cross, it is by God's power that he lives. In union with him we also are weak; but in our relations with you we shall share God's power in his life.

We are glad when we are weak but you are strong. And so we also pray that you will become perfect.

I had to feed you milk, not solid food, because you were not ready for it. And even now you are not ready for it,

If you think you are standing firm you had better be careful that you do not fall.

It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are smart, you will keep quiet.

We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him--- we ignored him as if he were nothing.

Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else.

So then, whoever rejects this teaching is not rejecting a human being, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.