The phrase "in order ... would not" can be stated in positive form, and "be emptied" can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "not with clever speech, because clever speech would empty the cross of its power" or "not with clever speech, because this would cause the cross of Christ to lose its power" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive]])
Paul speaks of God's power to save people who trust in Christ as if the cross on which Christ died had power. The cross being emptied of its power represents people not recognizing God's power to save them through Christ's death. If Paul were to use clever speech, people might pay more attention to his clever speech than to Christ's death. Alternate translation: "in order that people might recognize God's power to save them through Jesus's death on the cross" or "because clever speech would distract people from God's power as shown in the cross" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])
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