1CO 1:10-17

Unity in the Church

10Now I exhort you, brothers, through 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 fully restored in the same mind and in the same judgment. [1:11] For it was shown to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe, that there are quarrels among you. [1:12] Now I mean this: that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ.' [1:13] Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? [1:14] I give thanks that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius — [1:15] so that no one may say that you were baptized into my name. [1:16] Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; for the rest, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. [1:17] For Christ did not send me to baptize but to evangelize — not in wisdom of discourse, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, allegiance to specific teachers or philosophical schools was common, with followers often identifying themselves by their mentor’s name (e.g., Stoics, Epicureans). The Corinthian church, influenced by this cultural norm, had fractured into factions claiming loyalty to Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ. Such divisions mirrored the societal tendency to elevate human leaders, undermining the unity of the community. Paul’s exhortation to 'speak the same thing' and be 'knit together' reflects the ideal of harmony valued in both Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. However, Paul redirects this unity to Christ, not human leaders, emphasizing that Christ’s crucifixion, not Paul’s teaching, is the foundation of their faith. The mention of Chloe’s household suggests that these divisions were not abstract but had practical, relational consequences, likely disrupting the church’s witness in a city known for its competitive ethos.

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How other translations render this

1CO 1:10

KJV: Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
BSB: I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
Koinōnos: Now I exhort you, brothers, through 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 fully restored in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1CO 1:11

KJV: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
BSB: My brothers, some from Chloeʼs household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
Koinōnos: For it was shown to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe, that there are quarrels among you.

1CO 1:12

KJV: Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
BSB: What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
Koinōnos: Now I mean this: that each of you says, 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' or 'I am of Cephas,' or 'I am of Christ.

1CO 1:13

KJV: Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
BSB: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
Koinōnos: Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?

1CO 1:14

KJV: I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
BSB: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
Koinōnos: I give thanks that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius —

1CO 1:15

KJV: Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
BSB: so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.
Koinōnos: so that no one may say that you were baptized into my name.

1CO 1:16

KJV: And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
BSB: Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that I do not remember if I baptized anyone else.
Koinōnos: Now I also baptized the household of Stephanas; for the rest, I do not know if I baptized anyone else.

1CO 1:17

KJV: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
BSB: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
Koinōnos: For Christ did not send me to baptize but to evangelize — not in wisdom of discourse, so that the cross of Christ may not be emptied.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1CO 1:10

I exhort:The word translated 'I exhort' carried a sense of both urging and comforting, often used in contexts of encouraging someone to take a particular course of action or to persevere through difficulty.
divisions,:The term used here for 'divisions' literally referred to a tear or a rent, like in a piece of cloth, emphasizing a tearing apart or splitting of something that should be whole.
knit together:The word translated 'knit together' meant to adjust, put in order, or restore something to its proper function, like setting a dislocated bone or repairing a broken net.

1CO 1:17

may be emptied of power:The phrase 'may be emptied of power' uses a word that literally means to empty or make void, suggesting that something is rendered ineffective or without substance.