For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”
- KJV For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
- NKJV For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
- NASB For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.”
- NLT As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Quoting Isaiah, Paul declares God will overturn human wisdom. God himself destroys the pretensions of the worldly wise.
Overview
Paul cites Isaiah 29:14 to show that God's frustration of human wisdom is His longstanding pattern, not a new development. The proud cleverness of the world cannot grasp or contain God's saving plan. Scripture itself testifies that God deliberately nullifies the wisdom that exalts itself against Him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Isa 29:14Therefore I will again confound these people with wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of the wise will vanish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.”
- Jer 8:9The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?
- 1 Cor 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
- Job 5:12–13He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
- Isa 19:11The princes of Zoan are mere fools; Pharaoh’s wise counselors give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the wise, a son of eastern kings”?
- Isa 19:3Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 1:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.