1 Corinthians 1:23 (GNV)

Passage

But wee preach Christ crucified: vnto the Iewes, euen a stumbling blocke, and vnto the Grecians, foolishnesse:

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 1:21 For seeing the worlde by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of GOD, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue:

1 Corinthians 1:22 Seeing also that the Iewes require a signe, and the Grecians seeke after wisdome.

1 Corinthians 1:23 But wee preach Christ crucified: vnto the Iewes, euen a stumbling blocke, and vnto the Grecians, foolishnesse:

1 Corinthians 1:24 But vnto them which are called, both of the Iewes and Grecians, we preach Christ, the power of God, and the wisedome of God.

1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "preach", "christ", "crucified", "vnto", "iewes", "euen", "stumbling", and "blocke". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "preach" and "christ", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Seeing also that the Iewes require a..." into verse 24's "But vnto them which are called both...", so "preach" and "christ" 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 "preach" and "christ" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.