1 Corinthians 1:26 (ASV)

Passage

For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 1:24 but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 1:26 For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:

1 Corinthians 1:27 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;

1 Corinthians 1:28 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:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "behold", "calling", "brethren", "wise", "after", "flesh", and "mighty". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "behold", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "Because the foolishness of God is wiser..." into verse 27's "but God chose the foolish things of...", so "called" and "behold" belong inside that flow. In 1 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "behold" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.