1 Corinthians 2 - New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

2 And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I (A)did not come as someone superior in [a]speaking ability or [b]wisdom, as I proclaimed to you (B)the [c]testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except (C)Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I also was with you in (D)weakness and (E)fear, and in great trembling, 4 and my [d]message and my preaching were (F)not in persuasive words of [e]wisdom, but in demonstration of (G)the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not [f]rest on the [g]wisdom of mankind, but on (H)the power of God.

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are (I)mature; a wisdom, however, not of (J)this age nor of the rulers of (K)this age, who are (L)passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a (M)mystery, the hidden wisdom which God (N)predestined before the (O)ages to our glory; 8 the wisdom (P)which none of the rulers of (Q)this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified (R)the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written:

(S)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 [h](T)For to us God revealed them (U)through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the (V)depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the (W)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 (X)have not received the spirit of (Y)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, (Z)not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, [i]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

14 But [j]a (AA)natural person (AB)does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are (AC)foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But the one who is (AD)spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is [k]discerned by no one. 16 For (AE)who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But (AF)we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Lit speech
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or cleverness
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:1 One early ms mystery
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Lit word
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Or cleverness
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:5 Lit be
  7. 1 Corinthians 2:5 Or cleverness
  8. 1 Corinthians 2:10 One early ms But
  9. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual things for spiritual people
  10. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or an unspiritual
  11. 1 Corinthians 2:15 Or judged

Cross references

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 : 1 Cor 1:17; 2:4, 13
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1 : 1 Cor 2:7
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:2 : 1 Cor 1:23; Gal 6:14
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:3 : 1 Cor 4:10; 2 Cor 11:30; 12:5, 9f; 13:9
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:3 : Is 19:16; 2 Cor 7:15; Eph 6:5
  6. 1 Corinthians 2:4 : 1 Cor 1:17; 2:1, 13
  7. 1 Corinthians 2:4 : Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 4:20
  8. 1 Corinthians 2:5 : 2 Cor 4:7; 6:7; 12:9
  9. 1 Corinthians 2:6 : Eph 4:13; Phil 3:15; Heb 5:14; 6:1
  10. 1 Corinthians 2:6 : Matt 13:22; 1 Cor 1:20
  11. 1 Corinthians 2:6 : Matt 13:22; 1 Cor 1:20
  12. 1 Corinthians 2:6 : 1 Cor 1:28
  13. 1 Corinthians 2:7 : Rom 11:25; 16:25f; 1 Cor 2:1
  14. 1 Corinthians 2:7 : Rom 8:29f
  15. 1 Corinthians 2:7 : Heb 1:2; 11:3
  16. 1 Corinthians 2:8 : 1 Cor 1:26; 2:6
  17. 1 Corinthians 2:8 : Matt 13:22; 1 Cor 1:20
  18. 1 Corinthians 2:8 : Acts 7:2; James 2:1
  19. 1 Corinthians 2:9 : Is 64:4; 65:17
  20. 1 Corinthians 2:10 : Matt 11:25; 13:11; 16:17; Gal 1:12; Eph 3:3, 5
  21. 1 Corinthians 2:10 : John 14:26
  22. 1 Corinthians 2:10 : Rom 11:33ff
  23. 1 Corinthians 2:11 : Prov 20:27
  24. 1 Corinthians 2:12 : Rom 8:15
  25. 1 Corinthians 2:12 : 1 Cor 1:27
  26. 1 Corinthians 2:13 : 1 Cor 1:17; 2:1, 4
  27. 1 Corinthians 2:14 : 1 Cor 15:44, 46; James 3:15; Jude 19 mg
  28. 1 Corinthians 2:14 : John 14:17
  29. 1 Corinthians 2:14 : 1 Cor 1:18
  30. 1 Corinthians 2:15 : 1 Cor 3:1; 14:37; Gal 6:1
  31. 1 Corinthians 2:16 : Is 40:13; Rom 11:34
  32. 1 Corinthians 2:16 : John 15:15

You Might Also Like:

1 Corinthians 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 And I, having come unto you, brethren, came -- not in superiority of discourse or wisdom -- declaring to you the testimony of God, 2 for I decided not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified; 3 and I, in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling, was with you; 4 and ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

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 ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

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 M...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

2 My brothers and sisters, I did not pose as an expert with all the answers. I did not pretend to explain the mystery of God with eloquent speech and human wisdom. 2 I claimed to know nothing with certainty other than the reality that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Liberating King, who was crucifie...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Wisdom that Rests on God’s Power2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come with excellence of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery[a] of God. 2 For I decided not to know about anything among you except Yeshua the Messiah—and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness a...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Proclaiming Christ Crucified2 When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony[a] of God in lofty words or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; 4 and m...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

2 And I, brothers, when I came to you, came not with excellency of words, or of wisdom, showing to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not 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 Neither my ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The Powerful Message of the Cross2 This is how it was for me, too, my dear family. When I came to you, I didn’t come and proclaim God’s mystery to you by means of a superior style of speaking or wisdom. 2 No: I decided to know nothing in my dealings with you except Jesus the Messiah, especially his...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Proclaiming Christ Crucified2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the testimony[a] of God to you with superior speech or wisdom.(A)2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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 o...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul’s Message of Wisdom2 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.[b] 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in we...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

Paul Received the Good News from God2 Christian brothers, when I came to you, I did not preach the secrets of God with big sounding words or make it sound as if I were so wise. 2 I made up my mind that while I was with you I would speak of nothing except Jesus Christ and of His death on the cross. ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Christ Crucified2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the [a]testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you (A)except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 (B)I was with you (C)in weakness, in fear, and in much ...
Read More