Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

神却拣选了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，叫那强壮的羞愧。

但是，上帝拣选了世上愚拙的，为了使有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，为了使强壮的羞愧。

但是，神拣选了世上愚拙的，为了使有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，为了使强壮的羞愧。

但上帝拣选了世人看为愚昧的，要使智者羞愧；上帝拣选了世上软弱的，要使强者蒙羞；

但是神却拣选了世上愚笨的，使那些有智慧的羞愧。他也拣选了世上软弱的，使那些刚强的羞愧。

然而神却拣选了世上愚拙的，为了使那些有智慧的羞愧；神又拣选了世上软弱的，为了使那些强壮的羞愧；

神卻揀選了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又揀選了世上軟弱的，叫那強壯的羞愧。

但是，上帝揀選了世上愚拙的，為了使有智慧的羞愧；又揀選了世上軟弱的，為了使強壯的羞愧。

但是，神揀選了世上愚拙的，為了使有智慧的羞愧；又揀選了世上軟弱的，為了使強壯的羞愧。

但上帝揀選了世人看為愚昧的，要使智者羞愧；上帝揀選了世上軟弱的，要使強者蒙羞；

但是神卻揀選了世上愚笨的，使那些有智慧的羞愧。他也揀選了世上軟弱的，使那些剛強的羞愧。

但上帝卻揀選了世界上愚拙的，要使有智慧的慚愧；上帝又揀選了世界上軟弱的，要使強壯的慚愧；

然而神卻揀選了世上愚拙的，為了使那些有智慧的羞愧；神又揀選了世上軟弱的，為了使那些強壯的羞愧；

乃上帝選世之愚者、以愧智者、選世之弱者、以愧強者、

乃上帝選世之不智、以愧智者、選世之不能、以愧能者、

乃天主選世之愚者、以愧智者、選世之弱者、以愧強者、

雖然、世俗所視為愚者、天主則簡拔之、以愧眾哲；世俗所視為弱者、天主則簡拔之、以勝強有力者；

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;

Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.

but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong.

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?

So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer:“ O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.

You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,‘ The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say.So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.“ What should we do with these men?” they asked each other.“ We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.”So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.But Peter and John replied,“ Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God

Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you!

They asked Jesus,“ Do you hear what these children are saying?”“ Yes,” Jesus replied.“ Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say,‘ You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

He humbles the proud and brings down the arrogant city. He brings it down to the dust.The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot, and the needy walk all over it.

Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.

For some say,“ Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”

The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord. The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened.“ Go away for now,” he replied.“ When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said,“ Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”He replied,“ If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers— Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew— throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.Jesus called out to them,“ Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”And they left their nets at once and followed him.A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth.“ Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said,“ What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said,“ He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”

“ So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected when they demanded,‘ Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior.

But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.