1 Corinthians 3:19
ESV
For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness,"
NIV
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness" ;
NASB
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: 'He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE BY THEIR CRAFTINESS';
CSB
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness;
NLT
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, 'He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.'
KJV
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
NKJV
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”;
What does 1 Corinthians 3:19 mean?
Paul has urged his readers to become foolish according to limited human wisdom in order to become truly wise according to God's wisdom. Now he writes that you can't hold on to both at the same time. Human wisdom and God's wisdom contradict each other. God knows the wisdom of the world to be folly or foolishness and so should all who trust in Christ.The issue here is not that human beings are incapable of knowing any truth, or any wisdom, at all. God places reason and evidence in our lives and expects us to use them (Psalm 19:1; Colossians 2:8). The problem with worldly human wisdom is the self-deception Paul mentioned in the previous verse. Those wise according to the world's standards believe themselves to be ultimately wise and enlightened. That includes their arrogant rejection of faith in Christ and His death on the cross for human sin. Nonbelievers can be scholars, thinkers, intellectuals, speakers, and teachers (Romans 1:18–23).
God doesn't care. Paul quotes from Job 5:13 to show that God catches those who are supposedly wise in their craftiness. He knows all their supposedly wise ideas and teachings will not help them to escape a face-to-face meeting with Him in the end.
First Corinthians 3:16–23 is the third metaphor Paul uses to explain the relationship between works, spiritual growth, and God's judgment of our efforts. An emphasis here is on the superiority of God's wisdom compared to the fallible knowledge of man, echoing statements from chapters 1 and 2. Paul's main point here, again, is that we ought to focus on allegiance to Christ and His will, rather than being divided over loyalty to different human teachers.
Paul cannot call the Corinthian Christians ''spiritual'' people. Though they are in Christ, they continue to live to the flesh. They are spiritual infants, not ready for solid food. Divisions among them prove they are still serving themselves, picking sides in a senseless debate between Christian teachers. Paul insists that both he and Apollos are mere servants of the Lord and co-workers. They are not in competition. Those who lead the Corinthians must build carefully because their work will be tested on the day of the Lord. Christian leaders who build the church will have their work judged by Christ to see if they have built on the foundation of Christ. All human wisdom will be shown to be futile and worthless.
