1 Corinthians 1:28 BSB

1 Corinthians 1:28

He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:

KJV

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

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Commentary

2 voices

Theodore of Mopsuestia

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH (428)

Paul uses the expression "things that are not" differently here from the way he uses it in his epistle to the Romans. Here it means simply that which is vile and contemptible, as opposed to "things that are," which are beautiful, powerful and respected.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Things that are not - The Jews frequently called the gentiles, "Them that are not," 2 Esdras vi. In so supreme contempt did they hold them. The things that are - In high esteem.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

And base things - and things which are despised - It is very likely that the apostle refers here to the Gentiles and to the Gentile converts, who were considered base and despicable in the eyes of the Jews, who counted them no better than dogs, and who are repeatedly called the things that are not.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

18 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τὰ	ta	the	G3588 →
ἀγενῆ	agenē	low-born	G36 →
τοῦ	tou	of the	G3588 →
κόσμου	kosmou	world	G2889 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
τὰ	ta	the [things]	G3588 →
ἐξουθενημένα	exouthenēmena	despised	G1848 →
ἐξελέξατο	exelexato	chose	G1586 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
θεός,	theos	God,	G2316 →
τὰ	ta	the [things]	G3588 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
ὄντα,	onta	being,	G1510 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
τὰ	ta	the [things]	G3588 →
ὄντα	onta	being	G1510 →
καταργήσῃ,	katargēsē	He may annul,	G2673 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Romans 4:17
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead…
leads to
- Genesis 17:4–5
  “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
- John 5:21
  For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
- Romans 8:29–30
  For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
- John 6:63
  The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
- 1 Peter 2:10
  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Through
Isaiah 2:11
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
leads to
- Isaiah 5:15–16
  So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.
- Psalms 18:27
  For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.
- Isaiah 2:17
  So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,