1 Corinthians 2
King James Version
2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2
Authorized (King James) Version
2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Proclamation
2 When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony[a] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance(A) of speech(B) or wisdom. 2 For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.(C) 3 I came to you in weakness,(D) in fear,(E) and in much trembling.(F) 4 My speech(G) and my proclamation were not with persuasive(H) words of wisdom[b] but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, 5 so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.(I)
Spiritual Wisdom
6 However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature,(J) but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers(K) of this age, who are coming to nothing.(L) 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined(M) before the ages for our glory.(N) 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(O) 9 But as it is written:
What eye did not see and ear did not hear,
and what never entered the human mind—
God prepared this for those who love Him.(P)[c]
10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything,(Q) even the depths of God.(R) 11 For who among men knows the thoughts[d] of a man except the spirit(S) of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows(T) the thoughts[e] of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words(U) taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.[f] 14 But the unbeliever[g] does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated[h] spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can evaluate[i] everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated[j] by anyone. 16 For
But we have the mind of Christ.(W)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Other mss read mystery
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 Other mss read human wisdom
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 Is 52:15; 64:4
- 1 Corinthians 2:11 Or things
- 1 Corinthians 2:11 Or things
- 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or things with spiritual words
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or unspiritual; lit natural
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or judged, or discerned
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or judge, or discern
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or judged, or discerned
- 1 Corinthians 2:16 Is 40:13
1 Corinthians 2
American Standard Version
2 And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of [a]speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the [b]testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my [c]speech and my [d]preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 that your faith should not [e]stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this [f]world, nor of the rulers of this [g]world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the [h]worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this [i]world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written,
[j]Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,
And which entered not into the heart of man,
Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.
10 [k]But unto us God revealed [l]them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the [m]world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; [n]combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the [o]natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually [p]judged. 15 But he that is spiritual [q]judgeth all things, and he himself is [r]judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or, word
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Many ancient authorities read mystery.
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 Or, word
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 Greek thing preached.
- 1 Corinthians 2:5 Greek be.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6 Or, age: and so in verses 7, 8; but not in verse 12.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6 Or, age: and so in verses 7, 8; but not in verse 12.
- 1 Corinthians 2:7 Or, age
- 1 Corinthians 2:8 Or, age
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isa. 64:4; 65:17.
- 1 Corinthians 2:10 Some ancient authorities read For.
- 1 Corinthians 2:10 Or, it
- 1 Corinthians 2:12 See verse 6.
- 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or, unspiritual. Greek psychical.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or, examined
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or, examineth
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or, examined
1 Corinthians 2
New King James Version
Christ Crucified
2 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. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you (A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 (B)I was with you (C)in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 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, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the (F)power of God.
Spiritual Wisdom
6 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. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [c]ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for (G)had they known, they would not have (H)crucified the Lord of glory.
9 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 Corinthians 2:1 NU mystery
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 NU omits human
- 1 Corinthians 2:7 predetermined
- 1 Corinthians 2:13 NU omits Holy
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
