Spiritual Wisdom

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [a]ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for (A)had they known, they would not have (B)crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written:

(C)“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But (D)God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the (E)spirit of the man which is in him? (F)Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but (G)the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the [b]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 (H)But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For (I)“who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” (J)But we have the mind of Christ.

Sectarianism Is Carnal

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to (K)babes in Christ. I fed you with (L)milk and not with solid food; (M)for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [c]behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:7 predetermined
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:13 NU omits Holy
  3. 1 Corinthians 3:3 Lit. walking according to man

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,(A) but not the wisdom of this age(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.(C) No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery(D) that has been hidden(E) and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age(F) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(G) However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—(H)

10 these are the things God has revealed(I) to us by his Spirit.(J)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(K) except their own spirit(L) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit(M) of the world,(N) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(O) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[b] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God(P) but considers them foolishness,(Q) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit(R) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[c](S)

But we have the mind of Christ.(T)

The Church and Its Leaders

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit(U) but as people who are still worldly(V)—mere infants(W) in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food,(X) for you were not yet ready for it.(Y) Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling(Z) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”(AA) are you not mere human beings?

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13