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The True Wisdom of God

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are being destroyed.(A) But we speak God’s wisdom, a hidden mystery, which God decreed before the ages for our glory and which none of the rulers of this age understood, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—(B)

10 God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.(C) 11 For what human knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God.(D) 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.[a](E)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.13 Or interpreting spiritual things spiritually or comparing spiritual things with spiritual

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