1 Corinthians 1 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The salutation 1:1–3

Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Sosthenes the brother,independent — the superscription — apostleship by divine summons, with a co-sender

to the church of God that is in Corinth,phrase modifier — the addressees — God's church, not any party's

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus,phrase modifier — apposition — an accomplished consecration, despite everything

called saints,phrase modifier — apposition — their calling echoes Paul's (v. 1)

together with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place —phrase modifier — the universal company — local party-spirit deflated in advance

their Lord and ours:phrase modifier — one common Lord closes the address

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.independent — the blessing — Father and Lord Jesus one source

The thanksgiving — grace given in Christ 1:4–9

I thank my God always concerning youindependent — the thanksgiving period opens

for the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus,phrase modifier — ἐπί — the ground of thanks: grace received, not virtue achieved

because in everything you were enriched in him,cause — the grace specified — divine enrichment

in all speech and all knowledge —phrase modifier — the riches named — the very endowments Corinth will misuse

even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,comparative — the gifts attest a rooted message — τοῦ Χριστοῦ objective

so that you lack no gift,purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — result: total sufficiency in the interim

while you eagerly await the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,participial — attendant circumstance — the gifts held facing the End

who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.relative — on the nearer κυρίου (Christ) — though v. 9 names God the confirmer; βεβαιώσει picks up ἐβεβαιώθη

God is faithful,independent — the verbless bedrock beneath the whole thanksgiving

through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.relative — the call into κοινωνία — the shared bond that makes faction absurd

The appeal against divisions 1:10–17

vv. 10–12 — the appeal, the report, the slogans

Now I appeal to you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,independent — the thesis-appeal of chs. 1–4 — sworn through the one name against the many

that you all say the same thing,content — ἵνα as content of the appeal — the civic idiom of concord

and that there be no divisions among you,content — no σχίσματα — no rips in the congregation's fabric

but that you be knit together in the same mind and the same judgment.content — καταρτίζω — mended like nets: restored cohesion

For it was made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe's peoplecause — the occasion of the appeal — a named, credible report

that there are quarrels among you.content — the report's content — ἔριδες, the symptom diagnosed

Now I mean this,independent — the clarification announced — τοῦτο points forward

that each of you says:content — epexegetic of τοῦτο — the partisanship is pervasive

'I am of Paul,'content — the first slogan quoted — Paul claimed as patron, to his own dismay

and 'I of Apollos,'content — the second — the eloquent Alexandrian

and 'I of Cephas,'content — the third — Peter's name invoked

and 'I of Christ.'content — the fourth — even Christ reduced to a party-tag

v. 13 — the slogans detonated

Has Christ been divided?independent — read as an astonished question — Christ cannot be parceled out

Was Paul crucified for you?independent — μή expects 'no' — the cross is not Paul's

Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?independent — nor is the baptismal name — ownership belongs to Christ

vv. 14–17 — baptism marginal, preaching central

I thank Godindependent — a wry second thanksgiving — the slender baptismal record

that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,content — the tally — only two names

so that no one may saypurpose — the point of the relief — no banner from his hand

that you were baptized into my name.content — the feared claim — v. 12's partisanship in embryo

(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas;independent — parenthetical correction of the tally

beyond that, I do not knowindependent — candid memory — baptizing was never his ledger

whether I baptized anyone else.)content — indirect question — the list closed with a shrug

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel —independent — the commission — ἀποστέλλω echoes ἀπόστολος (v. 1)

not in wisdom of speech,phrase modifier — the manner renounced — taken with εὐαγγελίζεσθαι

lest the cross of Christ be emptied.purpose — why the renunciation — rhetoric would hollow out the cross; the letter pivots here

The word of the cross versus the world's wisdom 1:18–25

vv. 18–20 — the message divides; Scripture and the vanished sages

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing,independent — the thesis — μέν: folly to the perishing

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.independent — δέ: God's power to the saved — two present-tense processes underway

For it is written:cause — the warrant from Scripture

'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,content — Isa 29:14 (LXX) — wisdom under sentence; Ἀπολῶ echoes the 'perishing'

and the discernment of the discerning I will set aside.'content — Isa 29:14 — the parallel limb: discernment annulled

Where is the wise man?independent — the taunt-volley begins — echoing Isa 19:12; 33:18

Where is the scribe?independent — the Jewish scholar of the Law

Where is the debater of this age?independent — the Greek controversialist — an age already under judgment

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?independent — οὐχί expects 'yes' — the verdict already delivered

vv. 21–25 — the strategy: folly that saves, weakness that outmuscles

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through its wisdom,cause — ἐπειδή — leans on εὐδόκησεν below; the world's failure inside God's wise design

God was pleased through the folly of the proclamation to save those who believe.independent — the sovereign resolve — salvation through 'foolish' preaching, for believers not the clever

Since Jews demand signscause — ἐπειδή again — leans on the κηρύσσομεν below; the first demand

and Greeks seek wisdom,cause — the second demand — the paired appetites of humanity

but we preach Christ crucified —independent — the emphatic ἡμεῖς against both demands — the perfect: permanently the Crucified

to Jews a stumbling-block,phrase modifier — the dative column — an outrage to messianic expectation (Deut 21:23)

and to Gentiles folly,phrase modifier — sheer absurdity to the nations

but to the called themselves, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.phrase modifier — resumptive — the same preached Christ is, to the called, exactly what both sought

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men,cause — the clinching maxim — the deliberately incongruous comparative

and the weakness of God is stronger than men.cause — the parallel limb — ἐστίν elided; God's 'weakness' outmuscles all strength

God's choice of the lowly 1:26–31

vv. 26–29 — look at your calling: the nothings chosen

For consider your calling, brothers:independent — read as imperative — the proof stands in their own ranks

not many were wise by fleshly standards,content — the first 'not many' — not 'none'

not many powerful,content — few of the mighty

not many well-born.content — few of the noble — the triad God's choice ran against

But God chose the foolish things of the worldindependent — the first ἐξελέξατο — election as reversal

to shame the wise,purpose — the purposed shaming

and God chose the weak things of the worldindependent — the second ἐξελέξατο — the refrain repeats verbatim

to shame the strong,purpose — the strong confounded

and God chose the low-born things of the world and the despised things,independent — the third ἐξελέξατο — ἀγενής negates the εὐγενεῖς of v. 26

the things that are not,phrase modifier — apposition — election out of nothing, as at creation

to nullify the things that are,purpose — the world's 'somethings' brought to nothing

so that no flesh may boast before God.purpose — ὅπως — the ultimate aim capping the whole triple election

vv. 30–31 — from him, in Christ: the only boast

But from him you are in Christ Jesus,independent — the positive counterpart — their very existence from God

who became wisdom for us from God —relative — the contested word resolved — wisdom is a person, given

righteousness and sanctification and redemption,phrase modifier — the wisdom unpacked — an epexegetic triad

so that, as it is written:purpose — elliptical ἵνα — its verb supplied by the citation's imperative

'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'content — Jer 9:24 (LXX 9:23) — the chapter's seal: boasting redirected

Analysis. 1 Corinthians 1 opens formulaic and turns polemical, and the shape tracks the turn. The salutation (vv. 1–3) is entirely verbless — dashed lines hanging from Παῦλος, the address swelling out to 'all who call on the name in every place' before the grace-and-peace line. The thanksgiving (vv. 4–9) is one descending chain from Εὐχαριστῶ — grace (ἐπί), enrichment (ὅτι), confirmation (καθώς), the ὥστε result with its waiting participle, down five levels to the promise of v. 8 — before πιστὸς ὁ θεός plants a fresh verbless bedrock at the margin. Παρακαλῶ (v. 10) carries three parallel ἵνα-content lines; the party slogans of v. 12 stand as a quoted column under λέγει; and the three questions of v. 13 snap flush-left. From v. 18 the page becomes antithesis: paired independent cola (folly/power), the Isa 29:14 couplet hanging from γέγραπται, the ποῦ-volley, and the two ἐπειδή grounds laid as forward-leaning, anchor-less lines above their main clauses (εὐδόκησεν, v. 21; ἡμεῖς δὲ κηρύσσομεν, v. 23), with the datives of vv. 23–24 as a suspended column under the one preached Χριστόν. Verses 26–31 show the triple ἐξελέξατο with its ἵνα purposes and the ὅπως cap, resolving into ἐξ αὐτοῦ δὲ ὑμεῖς ἐστε and the Jer 9:24 seal. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: the ὅς of v. 8 is hung on the nearer κυρίου (Christ), though v. 9 shows God as the confirmer; the ἵνα of v. 10 is read as the content of the appeal, not its purpose; μεμέρισται ὁ Χριστός; is printed as a genuine astonished question, not a statement; οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου is taken with εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, and the ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ clause is hung on that manner-phrase; Βλέπετε (v. 26) is read as imperative ('consider'), not indicative; and the ἵνα of v. 31 is treated as elliptical, its verb supplied by the citation's own imperative καυχάσθω.