Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Message of Christ’s Death
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I did not come preaching God’s ·secret[a] [mystery; C something God had not previously disclosed; Eph. 1:9] with ·fancy [superior; eloquent] words or a show of human wisdom. 2 [L For] I ·decided [resolved] that while I was with you I would ·forget about everything [L not know anything] except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. 3 So when I came to you, I was weak and fearful and trembling. 4 My ·teaching [message; speech] and preaching were not with words of human wisdom that ·persuade [or entice] people but with ·proof of the power that the Spirit gives [or proof powerfully revealed by the Spirit; or demonstrations of the Spirit and of power]. 5 This was so that your faith would be in God’s power and not in human wisdom.
God’s Wisdom
6 However, we speak wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this ·world [age] or from the rulers of this ·world [age], who ·are losing their power [will soon disappear; are passing away]. 7 We speak God’s ·secret wisdom [or wisdom in a mystery; 2:1], which he has kept hidden. Before the ·world began [ages], God ·planned [decreed; destined] this wisdom for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this ·world [age] understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the ·Lord of glory [glorious Lord]. 9 But as it is written in the Scriptures:
“No ·one [L eye] has ever seen this,
and no ·one [L ear] has ever heard about it.
No ·one [L human heart] has ever imagined
what God has prepared for those who love him [Is. 64:4].”
10 But God has ·shown [revealed to] us these things through the Spirit.
[L For] The Spirit ·searches out [examines; scrutinizes] all things, even the ·deep secrets [deep things; depths] of God. 11 Who knows the thoughts that another person has? Only a person’s spirit that lives within him knows his thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we did not receive the spirit of the world, but we received the Spirit that is from God so that we can know all that God has [freely] given us. 13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths ·to spiritual people [or to those who have the Spirit; or with the Spirit’s words]. 14 A ·person who does not have the Spirit [or natural person] does not accept the ·truths [L things] that come from the Spirit of God. That person thinks they are foolish and cannot understand them, because they can only be ·judged to be true [discerned; assessed] by the Spirit. 15 The ·spiritual person [or person with the Spirit] is able to ·judge [discern; assess] all things, but no one can ·judge [discern; assess] him. ·The Scripture says [L For]:
16 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Who has been able to ·teach [advise; counsel] him [Is. 40:13]?”
But we have the mind of Christ [C the Holy Spirit reveals God and his ways to us; Rom. 11:34].
Following People Is Wrong
3 Brothers and sisters, in the past I could not talk to you as I talk to ·spiritual people [or people who have the Spirit]. I had to talk to you as I would to ·people without the Spirit [unspiritual/carnal/fleshly people]—·babies [infants] in Christ. 2 ·The teaching I gave you was like milk [L I gave you milk to drink], not solid food, because you were not yet able to take solid food [C the comparison is between basic and advanced teaching]. And even now you are not ready. 3 You are still ·not spiritual [carnal; fleshly; living by your sinful nature], because there is ·jealousy [envy] and ·quarreling [conflict; rivalry] among you, and this shows that you are ·not spiritual [carnal; fleshly; living by your sinful nature]. You are ·acting [living; L walking] ·like people of the world [or like ordinary/unsaved people; or on a merely human level; L according to man]. 4 One of you says, “I belong to Paul,” and another says, “I belong to Apollos.” When you say things like this, ·you are [L are you not…?] ·acting like people of the world [or living on a merely human level; L people; human beings].
5 ·Is Apollos important? No! [L What, then, is Apollos?] ·Is Paul important? No! [L And what is Paul?] We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work the Lord gave us to do. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made it grow. 7 So the one who plants is not ·important [L anything], and the one who waters is not ·important [L anything], but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters ·have the same purpose [or are equal; L are one], and each will ·be rewarded [receive wages] for his own work. 9 We are ·God’s workers, working together [coworkers belonging to God; coworkers in God’s service]; you are God’s ·farm [field], God’s building.
10 ·Using [or Because of] the ·gift [grace] God gave me, I laid the foundation of that building like an ·expert [skilled; wise] builder. Others are building on that foundation, but ·all people [L each one] should be careful how they build on it. 11 The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ, and no one can lay down any other foundation. 12 But if ·people [anyone; someone] build on that foundation, using gold, silver, ·jewels [precious stones], wood, ·grass [or hay], or straw, 13 their work will be ·clearly seen [or shown for what it is], because the ·day of judgment [L day] will make it ·visible [clear; obvious]. That day will ·appear [or reveal it; expose it] with fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work to show what sort of work it was. 14 If the ·building that has been put on the foundation [L work] still stands, the builder will get ·a reward [or wages]. 15 But if the ·building [L work] is burned up, the builder will ·suffer loss [or be fined; or be punished]. The builder will be saved, but it will be as one who escaped ·from a fire [L through fire].
16 Don’t ·you [you all; C the verb is plural] know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you [C just as God’s presence filled the tabernacle; Ex. 40:34–38]? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person, because God’s temple is holy ·and you are that temple [or and you are holy; L which is what you are].
18 Do not ·fool [deceive] yourselves. If you think you are wise in this ·world [age], you should become a fool so that you can become truly wise, 19 because the wisdom of this world is ·foolishness [folly] with God. [L For] It is written in the Scriptures, “He catches those who are wise in their own ·clever traps [craftiness; cunning; Job 5:13].” 20 ·It is also written in the Scriptures [L And again], “The Lord knows ·what wise people think [L the thoughts/reasoning/machinations of the wise]. He knows their thoughts are ·worthless [pointless; useless; futile; Ps. 94:11].” 21 So you should not ·brag [boast] about ·human leaders [L people]. All things belong to you: 22 Paul, Apollos, and ·Peter [L Cephas; C Peter’s name in Aramaic; see 1:12]; the world, life, death, the present, and the future—all these belong to you. 23 And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.