1 Corinthians 2

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Paul’s Proclamation

2 When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony^[a] of God to you, I did not come with brilliance^(A) of speech^(B) or wisdom. ² For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.^{(C) 3} I came to you in weakness,^(D) in fear,^(E) and in much trembling.^{(F) 4} My speech^(G) and my proclamation were not with persuasive^(H) words of wisdom^[b] but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, ⁵ so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.^(I)

Spiritual Wisdom

⁶ However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature,^(J) but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers^(K) of this age, who are coming to nothing.^{(L) 7} On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined^(M) before the ages for our glory.^{(N) 8} None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(O) 9} But as it is written:

¹⁰ Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything,^(Q) even the depths of God.^{(R) 11} For who among men knows the thoughts^[d] of a man except the spirit^(S) of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows^(T) the thoughts^[e] of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. ¹³ We also speak these things, not in words^(U) taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.^{[f] 14} But the unbeliever^[g] does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated^[h] spiritually. ¹⁵ The spiritual person, however, can evaluate^[i] everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated^[j] by anyone. ¹⁶ For

But we have the mind of Christ.^(W)