1 Corinthians 2 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

2 When I came to you, brothers and sisters,[a] I did not come proclaiming the mystery[b] of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 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 trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,[c] but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

The True Wisdom of God

6 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 doomed to perish. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 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”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For what human being 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. 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.[d]

14 Those who are unspiritual[e] do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.

16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Gk brothers
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Other ancient authorities read testimony
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:4 Other ancient authorities read the persuasiveness of wisdom
  4. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual things in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual
  5. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Or natural

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