The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

And so, brothers, when I came to you, announcing to you the testimony of Christ, I did not bring exalted words or lofty wisdom.

For I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and with much trembling.

And my words and preaching were not the persuasive words of human wisdom, but were a manifestation of the Spirit and of virtue,

so that your faith would not be based on the wisdom of men, but on the virtue of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

(Ephesians 1:15–23)

Now, we do speak wisdom among the perfect, yet truly, this is not the wisdom of this age, nor that of the leaders of this age, which shall be reduced to nothing.

Instead, we speak of the wisdom of God in a mystery which has been hidden, which God predestined before this age for our glory,

something that none of the leaders of this world have known. For if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

But this is just as it has been written: “The eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him.”

But God has revealed these things to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

And who can know the things that are of a man, except the spirit which is within that man? So also, no one knows the things which are of God, except the Spirit of God.

But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is of God, so that we may understand the things that have been given to us by God.

And we are also speaking of these things, not in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, bringing spiritual things together with spiritual things.

But the animal nature of man does not perceive these things that are of the Spirit of God. For it is foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand it, because it must be examined spiritually.(a)

But the spiritual nature of man judges all things, and he himself may be judged by no man.

For who has known the mind of the Lord, so that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Footnotes

(a)2:14 The sensual man--the spiritual man:The sensual man is either he who is taken up with sensual pleasures, with carnal and worldly affections; or he who measures divine mysteries by natural reason, sense, and human wisdom only. Now such a man has little or no notion of the things of God. Whereas the spiritual man is he who, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide: but submits his judgment to the decisions of the church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ has promised to remain to the end of the world with his church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth.(Challoner)

When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

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

that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

(Ephesians 1:15–23)

We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing.

But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,

which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”(a)

But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except God’s Spirit.

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.

We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him; and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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

“For who has known the mind of the Lord that he should instruct him?” (b) But we have Christ’s mind.

Footnotes

(a)2:9 ℘ Isaiah 64:4

(b)2:16 ℘ Isaiah 40:13