Moshiachʼs Letter through the Shliach Sha'ul to the Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Corinth (I)
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1 From Sha'ul, given the kri'ah (call) of Hashem and summoned to be a Shliach of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach birtzon Hashem; and from Sosthenes* the Ach b'Moshiach.
2 To the Kehillah (congregation) of Hashem existing in Corinth, to the ones having been set apart unto kedushah (holiness) in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, given the kri'ah to be Kedoshim, with all the ones who in every place call on the name of Adoneinu, theirs and ours, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
3 Chen v'Chesed Hashem and Shalom from Elohim Avinu and Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.
4 Modeh Ani (I give thanks) to my G-d always concerning you for the Chen v'Chesed Hashem having been given to you in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, 5 That in everything you were enriched in Moshiach in all expression and kol da'as (all knowledge), 6 Even as the edut (testimony) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was confirmed in you, 7 So that you are not lacking in any matnat Elohim, awaiting the hisgalus (revelation) of Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, 8 Who also with chizzuk (strengthening) will confirm you ad es Ketz (until the time of the End),† unreprovable in the Yom Hashem, the Yom Adoneinu, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua.‡ 9 Ne'eman (faithful) is Hashem through whom you were called into the chavurah (company, fellowship, society) of His Zun fun der Oybershter Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu.
10 Now I exhort you, Achim b'Moshiach, b'Shem Adoneinu Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, that you all speak the same thing and that there not be among you machlokot (divisions of dissension),§ but that you may have achdus (unity) in the same mind and in the same way of thinking. 11 For it was made clear to me about you, Achim b'Moshiach of mine, by the ones of Chloe, that there is merivah (strife) among you. 12 Now I say this, because each of you says, “I am of Sha'ul,” or, “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Kefa,” or “I am of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach!” 13 Has Moshiach been divided? Surely Sha'ul was not for you the one talui al HaEtz (being hanged on the Tree)?* Surely it was not in the name of Sha'ul that the Moshiachʼs tevilah in the mikveh mayim was given to you? 14 Modeh Ani Hashem that to not one of you I gave Moshiachʼs tevilah, except Crispus and Gaius,† 15 Lest anyone should say that in my name you were given the Moshiachʼs tevilah. 16 Now I gave Moshiachʼs tevilah also to Stephanasʼ household; as to the rest, I do not know if I gave Moshiachʼs tevilah to anyone else. 17 For Moshiach did not send me to give Moshiachʼs tevilah in the mikveh mayim, but to preach the Besuras HaGeulah, not by means of the lomdes (cleverness, erudition) of the rhetoric of Bnei Adam, lest the gevurah (power) of HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem(the Tree of the Curse of G-d)‡ of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach be buttel (cancelled out).
18 For the darshenen of HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem(the Tree of the Curse of G-d)§ is narrishkait to the ones perishing. But to us who are being delivered in Yeshu'at Eloheinu, it is the gevurat Hashem(the power of G-d). 19 For it has been written, I will destroy CHOCHMAT CHACHAMAV (the wisdom of the wise ones) U'VINAT NEVONAV (and the intelligence of the intelligent) I will set aside.* 20 Where is the chacham (wise man)? Where is the sofer (scribe) of the yeshiva, where is the talmid chacham? Where is the philosophical debater of the Olam Hazeh? Did not Hashem make the so-called chochmah (wisdom) of the Olam Hazeh to look like narrishkait?† 21 For, als (since) — and this was by the chochmah of Hashem — the Olam Hazeh did not by its chochmah have da'as of Hashem, G-d was pleased through the “sichlut” (foolishness) of the Hachrazah (Proclamation, Kerygma, Preaching) of the Besuras HaGeulah to save the ma'aminim (believers). 22 Yehudim ask for otot (signs)‡ and Yevanim (Greeks) seek chochmah, 23 But, we proclaim Moshiach and nivlato al haEtz (his body on the Tree):§ to Jews, a michshol;* to Goyim, narrishkait (foolishness). 24 Yet, to those whom Hashem has given the kri'ah† and summoned, to HaKeru'im (to the Called Ones), both to Yehudim and to Yevanim Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, the Gevurat Hashem and the Chochmat Hashem. 25 For the so-called “sichlut” (foolishness) of Hashem has more chochmah than Bnei Adam, and the “weakness” of G-d has more koach (power) than Bnei Adam.‡
26 For you see your kri'ah (call), Achim b'Moshiach, what you were, that not many of you were chachamim (wise ones) by the standards of Bnei Adam, not many ba'alei hashpa'ah (people of influence), not many ba'alei zchus (privileged). 27 But Hashem in His bechirah (selection) chose the things of sichlut (foolishness), that He might bring the chachamim to bushah (shame); and Hashem in His bechirah (selection) chose the things of weakness that He might bring the strong to bushah (shame). 28 And those of the Olam Hazeh without mishpochah atzilah (noble birth) and those which are hanivzim§(the despised)Hashem chose, choosing the things that are not, in order to bring to naught the things that are. 29 His tachlis (purpose) is that no basar (fallen humanity sold under the power of slave master Chet Kadmon, Original Sin)* may boast before Hashem. 30 But you are of Hashem in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua who became to us chochmah (wisdom) from Hashem, our Tzidkanut (Righteousness) and our Kedushah (Holiness) and our Geulah LaOlam (Redemption to the world),† 31 Al menat (in order that), as it has been written, YITHALLEL HAMITHALLEL B'HASHEM‡(The one boasting let him boast in the L-rd).§
* 1:1 Ac 18:17 † 1:8 Dan 11:35 ‡ 1:8 Am 5:18 § 1:10 Ro 11:18 * 1:13 Dt 21:23 † 1:14 Ro 16:23 ‡ 1:17 Dt 21:23 § 1:18 Dt 21:23 * 1:19 Isa 29:14 † 1:20 Isa 19:11,12; Job 12:17; Isa 44:25; Jer 8:9 ‡ 1:22 Ex 7:3 § 1:23 Dt 21:23 * 1:23 Isa 8:14 † 1:24 1C 1:1-2 ‡ 1:25 1C 1:18 § 1:28 Isa 53:3 * 1:29 Ro 7:14 † 1:30 Jer 23:5,6; 33:16 ‡ 1:31 Jer 9:23 § 1:31 Ps 34:2; 44:8