MSB 1 COR Chapter 2

Paul’s Message by the Spirit’s Power

2 [When] I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom [as] I proclaimed to you the testimony[fn] about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing [while I was] with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human[fn] wisdom, but with a demonstration of [the] Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

Spiritual Wisdom

(Ephesians 1:15–23)

6 Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not [the] wisdom of this age [or] of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of [the] mysterious [and] hidden wisdom of God,[fn] which [He] destined for our glory before time [began]. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood [it]. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 Rather, as it is written:

“No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

no heart has imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love Him.”[fn]

10 But God has revealed [it] to us by His Spirit.[fn]

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep [ things ] of God. 11 For who among men knows the [thoughts] of man except [his own] spirit within him? So too, no one knows the [thoughts] of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who [is] from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 And [this is] [what] we speak, not in words taught [us] by human wisdom, but in [words] taught by [the] Holy Spirit,[fn] expressing spiritual truths in spiritual [words].[fn]

14 [The] natural man {does} not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand [them], because {they are} spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16 “For who has known [the] mind of [the] Lord, [so as] to instruct Him?”[fn] But we have [the] mind of Christ.