1 Corinthians 1 | » |
1 Paul, a called apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called out with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
3 Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God given you in Jesus Christ,
5 that in everything you are enriched by Him, in all speech and in all knowledge;
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you;
7 so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8 He shall also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 But I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 But I say this, that every one of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15 lest any should say that I had baptized in my own name.
16 And I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides these, I do not know if I baptized any other.
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved, it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the perceiving ones."
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.
22 For the Jews ask for a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness.
24 But to them, the called-out ones, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and the weak thing of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brothers, that not many wise men according to the flesh are called, not many mighty, not many noble.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 and God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things that are;
29 so that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
31 so that, according as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.