1 Corinthians 2
Wycliffe Bible
2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in the highness of word, either of wisdom [or of wisdom], telling to you the witnessing of Christ.
2 For I deemed not [in] me to know any thing among you, but Christ Jesus, and him crucified.
3 And I in frailty, and dread, and in much trembling, was among you; [And I in sickness, and dread, and much trembling, was with you;]
4 and my word and my preaching was not in subtly stirring words of man's wisdom, but in showing of Spirit and of virtue;
5 that your faith be not in the wisdom of men, but in the virtue of God.
6 For we speak wisdom among perfect men, but not wisdom of this world, neither of princes of this world, that be destroyed;
7 but we speak the wisdom of God in mystery, which wisdom is hid; which wisdom God before-ordained before worlds into our glory [the which God before-ordained before worlds into our glory],
8 which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known, they should never have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, That eye saw not, nor ear heard, neither it ascended into the heart of man, what things God arrayed to them that love him [what things God made ready before to them that love him];
10 but God showed to us by his Spirit. For why the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 And who of men knoweth, what things be of man, but the spirit of man that is in him? So [and] what things be of God, no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God.
12 And we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God, that we know what things be given to us of God.
13 Which things we speak also, not in wise words of man's wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, and make a likeness of spiritual things to ghostly men. [The which things we speak, not in taught words of man's wisdom, but in doctrine of the Spirit, comparisoning spiritual things to ghostly men.]
14 For a beastly man perceiveth not those things that be of the Spirit of God; for it is folly to him, and he may not understand, for it is examined ghostly [for it is examined, or assayed, ghostly].
15 But a spiritual man deemeth all things, and he is deemed of no man.
16 As it is written, And who knew the wit of the Lord, or who taught him? And we have the wit of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2
New Matthew Bible
It is not eloquence and glorious painted words of worldly wisdom that can edify and convert souls to Christ, but the plain words of the scripture. For they tell of him and his cross.
2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in gloriousness of words or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 Nor did I show myself to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was among you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my words and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 That which we speak of is wisdom among those who are sound: not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world (who come to nothing), 7 but we speak the wisdom of God, which is in secret and lies hid, which God ordained before the world for our glory. 8 Which wisdom none of the rulers of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 9 But as it is written: The eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.
10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the bottom of God’s secrets. 11 For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of a man which is within him? In the same way, the things of God are known by no man, but by the Spirit of God. 12 And we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which comes of God, in order to know the things that are given to us by God – 13 which things also we speak, not in the wise words of man’s wisdom, but with the wise words of the Holy Spirit, making spiritual comparisons of spiritual things. 14 For the natural man does not perceive the things of the Spirit of God. For they are but foolishness to him. Nor can he perceive them, because they are spiritually examined. 15 But he who is spiritual evaluates all things. Yet he himself is judged by no man. 16 For who knows the mind of the Lord, or who shall inform him? But we understand 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.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.