Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 1:22
Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church while contrasting human wisdom with God's method of salvation. He frames this contrast immediately before declaring that he preaches Christ crucified.
The words — αἰτοῦσιν (aitousin) literally means demand or ask for, and σημεῖα (sēmeia) means signs. These terms specify the exact type of empirical proof Jewish audiences required to validate a religious claim.
The thread — This pattern of demanding miraculous proof recurs when Pharisees and Sadducees test Jesus by requesting a sign from heaven (Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11).
Why it lands — The text states that Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom before asserting that God saves believers through the preached message of the cross. It requires the reader to stop measuring divine action against human criteria of proof or intellectual achievement and submit to the content of the gospel itself.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Cross-references
- Matthew 16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
- Mark 8:11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
- Luke 11:16 And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
- John 2:18 On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
- Acts 17:18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
- Luke 11:20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went back into the town, and said to the people,