Christ Crucified

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the [a]testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you (A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (B)I was with you (C)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching (D)were not with persuasive words of [b]human wisdom, (E)but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the (F)power of God.

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 [c]ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for (G)had they known, they would not have (H)crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written:

(I)“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 (J)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 (K)spirit of the man which is in him? (L)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 (M)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 [d]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 (N)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 (O)“who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” (P)But we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 NU mystery
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:4 NU omits human
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:7 predetermined
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:13 NU omits Holy

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom(A) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(B) I came to you(C) in weakness(D) with great fear and trembling.(E) My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,(F) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,(G) so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.(H)

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

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

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

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

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(S) except their own spirit(T) 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(U) of the world,(V) 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(W) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God(X) but considers them foolishness,(Y) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit(Z) 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?”[d](AA)

But we have the mind of Christ.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13

Abijam Reigns in Judah(A)

15 (B)In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. (C)His mother’s name was (D)Maachah the granddaughter of (E)Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; (F)his heart was not [a]loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. Nevertheless (G)for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; because David (H)did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, (I)except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. (J)And there was war between [b]Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. (K)Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

(L)So Abijam [c]rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place.

Asa Reigns in Judah(M)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. 10 And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. 11 (N)Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David. 12 (O)And he banished the [d]perverted persons from the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 Also he removed (P)Maachah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of [e]Asherah. And Asa cut down her obscene image and (Q)burned it by the Brook Kidron. 14 (R)But the [f]high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s (S)heart was loyal to the Lord all his days. 15 He also brought into the house of the Lord the things which his father (T)had dedicated, and the things which he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils.

16 Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 And (U)Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built (V)Ramah, (W)that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to (X)Ben-Hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in (Y)Damascus, saying, 19 Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

20 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and (Z)sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked (AA)Ijon, (AB)Dan, (AC)Abel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and remained in (AD)Tirzah.

22 (AE)Then King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted. And they took away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them King Asa built (AF)Geba of Benjamin, and (AG)Mizpah.

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But (AH)in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 So Asa [g]rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. (AI)Then (AJ)Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab Reigns in Israel

25 Now (AK)Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in (AL)his sin by which he had made Israel sin.

27 (AM)Then Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha killed him at (AN)Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 28 Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 29 And it was so, when he became king, that he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according to (AO)the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 30 (AP)because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he had sinned and by which he had made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he had provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 32 (AQ)And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:3 Lit. at peace with
  2. 1 Kings 15:6 So with MT, LXX, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., Syr. Abijam
  3. 1 Kings 15:8 Died and joined his ancestors
  4. 1 Kings 15:12 Heb. qedeshim, those practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals
  5. 1 Kings 15:13 A Canaanite goddess
  6. 1 Kings 15:14 Places for pagan worship
  7. 1 Kings 15:24 Died and joined his ancestors

Abijah King of Judah(A)

15 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah[a] became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah(B) daughter of Abishalom.[b]

He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted(C) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp(D) in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep(E) any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah(F) the Hittite.

There was war(G) between Abijah[c] and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah(H)(I)

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, 10 and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah(J) daughter of Abishalom.

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David(K) had done. 12 He expelled the male shrine prostitutes(L) from the land and got rid of all the idols(M) his ancestors had made. 13 He even deposed his grandmother Maakah(N) from her position as queen mother,(O) because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down(P) and burned it in the Kidron Valley. 14 Although he did not remove(Q) the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed(R) to the Lord all his life. 15 He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.(S)

16 There was war(T) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. 17 Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah(U) to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

18 Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple(V) and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent(W) them to Ben-Hadad(X) son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. 19 “Let there be a treaty(Y) between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

20 Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered(Z) Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. 21 When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah(AA) and withdrew to Tirzah.(AB) 22 Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah(AC) the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa(AD) built up Geba(AE) in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.(AF)

23 As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. 24 Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat(AG) his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

25 Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did evil(AH) in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father(AI) and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

27 Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down(AJ) at Gibbethon,(AK) a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family.(AL) He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 30 This happened because of the sins(AM) Jeroboam had committed and had caused(AN) Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals(AO) of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war(AP) between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 15:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 2 Chron. 12:16); most Hebrew manuscripts Abijam; also in verses 7 and 8
  2. 1 Kings 15:2 A variant of Absalom; also in verse 10
  3. 1 Kings 15:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Abijam (that is, Abijah); most Hebrew manuscripts Rehoboam

A Call to Repentance

12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
(A)“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So (B)rend your heart, and not (C)your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is (D)gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
14 (E)Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave (F)a blessing behind Him—
(G)A grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?

15 (H)Blow the [a]trumpet in Zion,
(I)Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
16 Gather the people,
(J)Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
(K)Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.
17 Let the priests, who minister to the Lord,
Weep (L)between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, (M)“Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should [b]rule over them.
(N)Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Land Refreshed(O)

18 Then the Lord will (P)be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.
19 The Lord will answer and say to His people,
“Behold, I will send you (Q)grain and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

20 “But (R)I will remove far from you (S)the northern army,
And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land,
With his face toward the eastern sea
And his back (T)toward the western sea;
His stench will come up,
And his foul odor will rise,
Because he has done [c]monstrous things.”

21 Fear not, O land;
Be glad and rejoice,
For the Lord has done [d]marvelous things!
22 Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field;
For (U)the open pastures are springing up,
And the tree bears its fruit;
The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And (V)rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the [e]former rain faithfully,
And He (W)will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25 “So I will restore to you the years (X)that the swarming [f]locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall (Y)eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to (Z)shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am (AA)in the midst of Israel:
(AB)I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out

28 “And(AC) it shall come to pass afterward
That (AD)I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
(AE)Your sons and your (AF)daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My (AG)menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And (AH)I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 (AI)The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
(AJ)Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32 And it shall come to pass
That (AK)whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be [g]saved.
For (AL)in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be [h]deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among (AM)the remnant whom the Lord calls.

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:15 ram’s horn
  2. Joel 2:17 Or speak a proverb against them
  3. Joel 2:20 Lit. great
  4. Joel 2:21 Lit. great
  5. Joel 2:23 Or teacher of righteousness
  6. Joel 2:25 Exact identity of these locusts unknown
  7. Joel 2:32 Or delivered
  8. Joel 2:32 Or salvation

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return(A) to me with all your heart,(B)
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

13 Rend your heart(C)
    and not your garments.(D)
Return(E) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,(F)
slow to anger and abounding in love,(G)
    and he relents from sending calamity.(H)
14 Who knows? He may turn(I) and relent(J)
    and leave behind a blessing(K)
grain offerings and drink offerings(L)
    for the Lord your God.

15 Blow the trumpet(M) in Zion,(N)
    declare a holy fast,(O)
    call a sacred assembly.(P)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(Q) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(R)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(S) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(T) before the Lord,
    weep(U) between the portico and the altar.(V)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(W)
    a byword(X) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(Y)’”

The Lord’s Answer

18 Then the Lord was jealous(Z) for his land
    and took pity(AA) on his people.

19 The Lord replied[a] to them:

“I am sending you grain, new wine(AB) and olive oil,(AC)
    enough to satisfy you fully;(AD)
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn(AE) to the nations.

20 “I will drive the northern horde(AF) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench(AG) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!
21     Do not be afraid,(AH) land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.(AI)
Surely the Lord has done great things!(AJ)
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.(AK)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree(AL) and the vine(AM) yield their riches.(AN)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice(AO) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.(AP)
He sends you abundant showers,(AQ)
    both autumn(AR) and spring rains,(AS) as before.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
    the vats will overflow(AT) with new wine(AU) and oil.

25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts(AV) have eaten(AW)
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm[b]
my great army(AX) that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,(AY)
    and you will praise(AZ) the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders(BA) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.(BB)
27 Then you will know(BC) that I am in Israel,
    that I am the Lord(BD) your God,
    and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.(BE)

The Day of the Lord

28 “And afterward,
    I will pour out my Spirit(BF) on all people.(BG)
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,(BH)
    your old men will dream dreams,(BI)
    your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants,(BJ) both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.(BK)
30 I will show wonders in the heavens(BL)
    and on the earth,(BM)
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness(BN)
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.(BO)
32 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord(BP) will be saved;(BQ)
for on Mount Zion(BR) and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,(BS)
    as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors(BT)
    whom the Lord calls.[c](BU)

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:19 Or Lord will be jealous … / and take pity … / 19 The Lord will reply
  2. Joel 2:25 The precise meaning of the four Hebrew words used here for locusts is uncertain.
  3. Joel 2:32 In Hebrew texts 2:28-32 is numbered 3:1-5.