< 1 Corinthians 2 >
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming God's testimony to you with a ‘superior’ speech or wisdom.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
For I determined to ‘know’ nothing while among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Also, I was with you in weakness, in fear, and with much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Yes, my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
so that your faith not be in men's wisdom, but in God's power.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (aiōn )
However, we do speak wisdom among the mature, albeit not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are being set aside; (aiōn )
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (aiōn )
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom that God ordained before the ages for our glory, (aiōn )
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (aiōn )
that none of the rulers of this age have understood (because if they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of the glory). (aiōn )
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
However, as it is written: “Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, and no heart of man has imagined, such things has God prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
But to us God has revealed them by His Spirit; because the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God;
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
which things we also expound, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
Now a soulish man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; indeed, he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
But he who is spiritual evaluates everything, while not being himself subject to anyone's judgment.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
For “who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.