1 Corinthians 2

1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with superiority of speech or wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God.

Brothers and sisters, when I came to you I didn't try to impress you with wonderful words or great wisdom when I told you what God had to say to you.

2 For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus (the) Messiah, and him crucified.

I decided that while I was with you I didn't want to concentrate on anything except Jesus Christ, and that he was crucified.

3 When I was with you, I was weak and afraid and I shook.

I came to you in weakness, fearful and trembling.

4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

I didn't speak to you with persuasive words of wisdom to convince you. I just explained it all to you through the evidence and power of the Spirit.

5 that your faith would not rest on human wisdom, but on the power of God.

That way your trust in God wouldn't rely on human wisdom but on the power of God.

6 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are mature, but a wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are passing away. (aiōn g165)

However, we do use words of wisdom when we speak to those who are spiritually mature, but this isn't wisdom that comes from this world, or from the rulers of this world who soon fade from the scene. (aiōn g165)

7 But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God determined in advance before the ages for our glory, (aiōn g165)

On the contrary we explain God's wisdom in terms of a revealed mystery that was previously hidden which God planned for our glory before the creation of the worlds. (aiōn g165)

8 which none of the rulers of this age has understood. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (aiōn g165)

None of the rulers of this world understood anything about this—for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (aiōn g165)

9 But as it is written, No eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things which God has prepared for those who love him.

But as Scripture says, “No one has ever seen, and no one has ever heard, and no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

10 But to us God revealed it through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

But God has revealed this to us through the Spirit, because the Spirit delves into the depths of God.

11 For what person knows the things of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Who knows anyone's thoughts except the actual person? In the same way no one knows God's thoughts except the Spirit of God.

12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.

For we have received the Spirit from God, not the spirit of this world, so that we could understand what God so generously gave us.

13 And we speak of these things, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

That's what we speak about—not using words taught by human wisdom, but what the Spirit teaches. We explain what is spiritual using spiritual terms.

14 Now the natural person does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Of course people who are not spiritual don't accept what comes from God's Spirit. It's just foolish nonsense to them, and they can't understand it, because what is spiritual has to be properly examined.

15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.

People who are spiritual investigate everything, but are not placed under investigation themselves.

16 For, "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct him?" But we have the mind of Messiah.

For “who understands the Lord's mind, and would think to instruct him?” But we do have Christ's mind!