Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are (A)mature; a wisdom, however, not of (B)this age nor of the rulers of (C)this age, who are (D)passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a (E)mystery, the hidden wisdom which God (F)predestined before the (G)ages to our glory; the wisdom (H)which none of the rulers of (I)this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified (J)the Lord of glory; but just as it is written:

(K)Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the human heart,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 [a](L)For to us God revealed them (M)through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the (N)depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the (O)spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we (P)have not received the spirit of (Q)the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, (R)not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, [b]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:10 One early ms But
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual things for spiritual people

God’s Spirit Reveals Everything

However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message of[a] wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene. Instead, we speak about God’s wisdom in a hidden secret, which God destined before the world began[b] for our glory. None of the rulers of this world understood it, because if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
the things that God has prepared
    for those who love him.”[c]

10 But[d] God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.

11 Is there anyone who can understand his own thoughts except his own inner spirit? In the same way, no one can know the thoughts of God except God’s Spirit. 12 Now, we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we can understand the things that were freely given to us by God. 13 We don’t speak about these things with words taught us by human wisdom, but with words[e] taught by the Spirit, as we explain spiritual things to spiritual people.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:6 The Gk. lacks a message of
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:7 The Gk. lacks began
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isa 64:4
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:10 Other mss. read For
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Lit. in things
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or in spiritual words