17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and ^anot with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the word of the cross is ^bfolly to ^cthose who are perishing, but to us ^dwho are being saved it is ^ethe power of God.

21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach¹ to save those who believe.