1 Corinthians 2

1 For my own part, friends, when I came to you, it was with no display of eloquence or philosophy that I came to tell the hidden purpose 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 had determined that, while with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ – 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 Indeed, when I came among you, I was weak, and full of fears, and in great anxiety.

I came to you in weakness, fearful and trembling.

4 My message and my proclamation were not delivered in the persuasive language of philosophy, but were accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual 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 so that your faith should be based, not on the 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 Yet there is a philosophy that we teach to those whose faith is matured, but it is not the philosophy of today, or of the leaders of today – whose downfall is at hand. (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 No, it is a divine philosophy that we teach, one concerned with the hidden purpose of God – that long hidden philosophy which God, before time began, destined 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 This philosophy is clearly not known to any of the leaders of today, since, had they known it, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord! (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 It is what scripture speaks of as – ‘What eye never saw, nor ear ever heard, what never entered people’s minds – all these things 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 Yet to us God revealed it through his Spirit; for the Spirit fathoms all things, even the inmost depths of God’s being.

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

11 For what person is there who knows what a person is, except the person’s own spirit within them? So, also, no one comprehends what God is, 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 And as for us, it is not the spirit of the world that we have received, but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may realize the blessings given to us by him.

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 gifts, not in language taught by human philosophy, but in language taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things in spiritual words.

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 The merely intellectual person rejects the teaching of the Spirit of God; for to them it is mere folly; they cannot grasp it, because it is to be understood only by spiritual insight.

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 the person with spiritual insight is able to understand everything, although they themselves are understood by no one.

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

16 For who has so comprehended the mind of the Lord as to be able to instruct him? We, however, have the mind of Christ.

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