Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

2 So, my brothers, when I came to you, I did not come to tell you God's message in big or wise words.

² I made up my mind that I would talk about only one thing while I was with you. That one thing was Jesus Christ and his death on a cross.

³ I was weak, afraid, and trembling when I visited you.

⁴ My words and my message were not in wise words to win you. But the power of the Spirit of God proved my words to be true.

⁵ I did this so that you would not believe because of man's wise words, but you would believe because of God's power.

⁶ However, our words are wise words to those who really believe. But they are not the kind of wise words that the people of this world speak. They are not the kind of wise words that the rulers of this world speak. Those rulers will die.

⁷ Our wise words are God's wise words about things people do not understand. Before God made the world he planned those things for our glory and blessing.

⁸ None of the rulers of this world knew about these things. If they had, they would not have killed on a cross the Lord who was full of God's glory.

⁹ The holy writings say, `No eye has seen the things God has made ready for those who love him. No ear has heard about them. No person's heart has ever thought of them.'

¹⁰ God has shown these things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit understands everything, even the things that God has kept secret.

¹¹ The only one who really knows what a person is thinking is the spirit of the person himself. So also, no one knows what God is thinking, only the Spirit of God.

¹² We have not received the spirit of the world. But we have received the Spirit of God. In this way we may understand the blessings which God has freely given to us.

¹³ We do not tell you these things in wise words which men taught us. But the Holy Spirit taught us. We teach things about the Spirit which we know about through the Spirit.

¹⁴ The person who does not have the Spirit does not receive the blessings of the Spirit of God. He thinks they are foolish. He cannot understand them because only people who have the Spirit of God can test them.

¹⁵ He who has the Spirit of God tests all things. But others cannot test him.

¹⁶ The holy writings say: `Who knows the mind of the Lord so that he may teach him?' As for us, we really do have the mind of Christ.

¹³ `You are like salt in the world. If salt has lost its taste, how can it be made salty again? Salt that has no taste is good for nothing. The only thing to do is to throw it out on the road.

¹⁴ `You are like light in the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.

¹⁵ So also with a lamp. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. But they put it on the place for a lamp. Then all the people in the house can see its light.

¹⁶ So, let your light shine to all people. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father in heaven.'

¹⁷ `Do not think that I have come to take away the law and the writings of the prophets. No, I have not come to take them away. But I have come to do what they say must be done.

¹⁸ I tell you the truth. Until the sky and the earth are taken away, not one small part of the law will be taken away, until everything has been done.

¹⁹ So anyone who does not obey one of the smallest laws, and teaches other people not to obey it, will have the smallest part in the kingdom of heaven. But any one who obeys and teaches the law, will have a big part in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ I tell you, you must do much better than the scribes and Pharisees. If you do not, then you will never go into the kingdom of heaven.'