1 Corinthians 1:17 (LSB)

Passage

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel, not in wisdom of word, so that the cross of Christ will not be made empty.

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 1:15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.

1 Corinthians 1:16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the gospel, not in wisdom of word, so that the cross of Christ will not be made empty.

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "christ", "send", "baptize", "proclaim", "gospel", "wisdom", "word", and "cross". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "christ" and "send", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Now I did baptize also the household..." into verse 18's "For the word of the cross is...", so "christ" and "send" 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 "christ" and "send" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.