1 Corinthians 1:23 (LSB)

Passage

but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased, through the foolishness of the message preached, to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 1:22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom,

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,

1 Corinthians 1:24 but to those who are the 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "preach", "christ", "crucified", "jews", "stumbling", "block", "gentiles", and "foolishness". 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 "For indeed Jews ask for signs and..." into verse 24's "but to those who are the called...", 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.