1 Corinthians 2

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ.

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence of speech or wisdom as I proclaimed hidden truths about God.

2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

For I decided to know nothing when I was among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power;

And my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom. Instead, they were with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

so that your faith might not be in the wisdom of humans, but in the power of God.

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought; (aiōn g165)

Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this world, or of the rulers of this age, who are passing away. (aiōn g165)

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory: (aiōn g165)

Instead, we speak God's wisdom in hidden truth, the hidden wisdom that God predestined before the ages for our glory. (aiōn g165)

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. (aiōn g165)

None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (aiōn g165)

9 But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.

But as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined, the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”

10 But to us God hath revealed them, by this Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

These are the things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God.

For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of the person in him? So also, no one knows the deep things of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God.

But we did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

We speak about these things in words that man's wisdom cannot teach, but which the Spirit teaches us. The Spirit interprets spiritual words with spiritual wisdom.

14 But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined.

The unspiritual person does not receive the things that belong to the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. He cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But the spiritual man judgeth all things; and he himself is judged of no man.

The one who is spiritual judges all things, but he is not subject to the judgment of others.

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

“For who can know the mind of the Lord, that he can instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.