1 Corinthians 2:1-5
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.
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1 Corinthians 2:1-5
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.
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1 Corinthians 2:1-5
1599 Geneva Bible
2 1 He setteth down a platform of his preaching, 4 which was base in respect of man’s wisdom, 7, 13 but noble in respect of the spiritual power and efficacy. 14 And so concludeth that flesh and blood cannot rightly judge thereof.
1 And [a]I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with (A)excellency of words, or of wisdom, showing unto you the [b]testimony of God.
2 For I [c]esteemed not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 (B)And I was among you in [d]weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 Neither stood my word, and my preaching in the (C)enticing speech of man’s wisdom, [e]but in plain [f]evidence of the Spirit and of power.
5 [g]That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
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- 1 Corinthians 2:1 He returneth to 1 Cor. 1:17, that is to say, to his own example: confessing that he used not amongst them either excellency of words, or enticing speech of man’s wisdom, but with great simplicity of speech, both knew and preached Jesus Christ crucified, humble and abject, as touching the flesh.
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 The Gospel.
- 1 Corinthians 2:2 I purposed not to profess any other knowledge, but the knowledge of Christ and him crucified.
- 1 Corinthians 2:3 He setteth weakness, against excellency of words, and therefore joineth with it fear and trembling, which are the companions of true modesty, not such fear and trembling as terrify the conscience, but such as are contrary to vanity and pride.
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 He turneth that now to the commendation of his ministry, which he had granted to his adversaries: for his virtue and power which they knew well enough, was so much the more excellent, because it had no worldly help joined with it.
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 By plain evidence he meaneth such a proof, as is made by certain and necessary reasons.
- 1 Corinthians 2:5 And he telleth the Corinthians, that he did it for their great profit, because they might thereby know manifestly, that the Gospel was from heaven. Therefore he privately rebuketh them, because that in seeking vain ostentation, they willingly deprived themselves of the greatest help of their faith.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
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.
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Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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