1 Corinthians 1:20 (DBY)

Passage

Where [is the] wise? where scribe? where disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us that are saved it is God's power.

1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the understanding ones.

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where [is the] wise? where scribe? where disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom has not known God, God has been pleased by the foolishness of the preaching to save those that believe.

1 Corinthians 1:22 Since Jews indeed ask for signs, and Greeks seek wisdom;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "where", "wise", "scribe", "disputer", and "foolish". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "where", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "For it is written I will destroy..." into verse 21's "For since in the wisdom of God...", so "world" and "where" 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 "world" and "where" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.