1 Corinthians 2

King James Version

Full text for 1 Corinthians Chapter 2

1¶ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

6¶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul declares that he did not preach with human eloquence or wisdom, but focused solely on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, relying on the Spirit's power. He explains that God's hidden wisdom, unknown to worldly rulers, is revealed by the Holy Spirit to believers. The natural man cannot comprehend these spiritual truths, which are only spiritually discerned.

Medium Summary

Paul recounts his initial approach to the Corinthians, emphasizing that he did not come with superior speech or worldly wisdom, but with a singular focus on Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. He preached in weakness and fear, ensuring that their faith would rest on the power of God, not the persuasive words of men. Paul then distinguishes between the wisdom of this world, which comes to nothing, and God's hidden wisdom, which was ordained before time for believers' glory. This divine wisdom was unknown to the rulers who crucified the Lord of glory, and it is beyond human comprehension. God, however, reveals these deep truths to believers through His Spirit, who searches all things. The natural man, lacking the Spirit, finds these spiritual matters foolish and cannot understand them, while the spiritual man discerns all things, possessing the mind of Christ.

Long Summary

Paul begins by reminding the Corinthians that his initial declaration of God's testimony among them was not characterized by excellence of speech or human wisdom. Instead, he determined to know nothing among them save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, acknowledging his own presence in weakness, fear, and much trembling. His preaching relied not on enticing words of man's wisdom, but on the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that their faith would be founded upon the power of God rather than human intellect. Paul then introduces a deeper wisdom, spoken among the spiritually mature, which is distinct from the perishing wisdom of this world and its rulers. This is God's hidden wisdom, pre-ordained for the glory of believers, a mystery that none of the worldly princes understood; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. He quotes scripture, stating that human sight, hearing, or heart cannot conceive the things God has prepared for those who love Him. However, God has graciously revealed these profound truths to believers through His Spirit, who possesses the capacity to search and understand even the deep things of God. Paul clarifies that just as only a man's spirit knows his own thoughts, only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. Believers have received the Spirit of God, not the spirit of the world, enabling them to comprehend the spiritual gifts freely given by God. Consequently, their communication of these truths is not in words taught by human wisdom, but by the Holy Ghost, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. The natural man, lacking the Holy Spirit, cannot receive or understand the things of the Spirit of God, deeming them foolishness because they require spiritual discernment. In contrast, the spiritual man is able to judge all things, yet remains unjudged by others, for believers, having received the Spirit, possess the mind of Christ.

Core Concepts

  • Rejection of Worldly WisdomPaul deliberately avoided eloquent speech and human intellectual persuasion, choosing to present the gospel in simplicity and dependence on God's power.
  • The Crucified ChristThe central and exclusive message of Paul's preaching was Jesus Christ and His crucifixion, emphasizing its foundational importance over any other doctrine or philosophical discourse.
  • Demonstration of the Spirit and PowerPaul's ministry was characterized by the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit's power, ensuring that faith was rooted in divine strength rather than human rhetoric.
  • God's Hidden WisdomThere exists a profound, pre-ordained wisdom from God, distinct from worldly understanding, which was kept secret but is now revealed to believers for their glory.
  • Spiritual DiscernmentThe truths of God's Spirit are incomprehensible to the "natural man" and can only be understood and appreciated through the spiritual insight granted by the Holy Spirit.
  • Revelation by the Holy SpiritGod's deep and mysterious truths are not discovered by human intellect but are divinely revealed to believers through the indwelling and searching work of the Holy Spirit.
  • The Mind of ChristBelievers, by virtue of receiving the Spirit of God, are granted an understanding of divine things, effectively possessing the very mind of Christ to comprehend spiritual realities.