1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Amplified Bible
Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit
2 And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the [a]testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do]; 2 for I made the decision to [b]know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]. 3 I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them], 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on the power of God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 One early ms reads mystery.
- 1 Corinthians 2:2 In reality, Paul was a highly-trained student of the Old Testament writings, Jewish law, and of logic and rhetoric; and evidently he was conversant in Roman law as well. When preaching the gospel, however, he focused on the message itself and the power of God, and not on rhetorical techniques of persuasion (see vv 4, 5; cf 1:17).
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
2 When I kagō came erchomai to pros you hymeis, brothers adelphos, I did not ou come erchomai with kata excellence hyperochē of speech logos or ē of wisdom sophia as I told katangellō you hymeis about the ho secret martyrion purpose of ho God theos. 2 For gar I had decided krinō to know oida nothing tis among en you hymeis except ei mē Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos and kai him houtos crucified stauroō. 3 So I kagō came ginomai to pros you hymeis in en weakness astheneia and kai fear phobos, and kai with en much polys trembling tromos. 4 · kai · ho My egō word logos and kai · ho my egō message kērygma were not ou delivered with en persuasive peithos words logos of wisdom sophia, but alla with en a demonstration apodeixis of the Spirit pneuma and kai of power dynamis, 5 so hina that · ho your hymeis faith pistis would not mē be eimi based on en the wisdom sophia of men anthrōpos but alla on en the power dynamis of God theos.
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