1 Corinthians 2

1 When I came [as a humble servant] to you, brothers [fellow believers], I did not come with [excellency of] eloquence [wise words, lofty speech] or wisdom [spiritual understanding, discernment] as I proclaimed [declared, announced publicly] to you the testimony [witness, evidence] about [concerning, regarding] God [the one true deity, Creator]. word study 2 For I resolved [determined, made a decision] to know [have knowledge of, be aware of] nothing [not anything, no other thing] while I was with you except [save, other than] Jesus Christ [the Messiah, the anointed one] and Him [this one, the specific person] crucified [put to death on a cross, executed]. word study 3 I came to you [in your presence, among you] in [a state of] weakness [frailty, lack of strength] and [accompanied by] fear [alarm, dread], and [experiencing] with much [intense, great] trembling [quaking, shaking]. word study 4 My message [spoken words, proclamation] and my preaching [proclamation of the gospel] were not with persuasive [enticing, convincing] words of wisdom [higher understanding, spiritual insight], but with a demonstration [proof, evidence] of the Spirit’s [breath, vital principle] power [strength, miraculous ability], word study 5 so that your [trust in God] faith would not rest on [human, men’s] men’s wisdom [spiritual understanding], but on [the Almighty, divine] God’s power [miraculous ability, strength]. word study 6 Among the mature [spiritually mature, complete in knowledge], however, we speak a message of [higher or spiritual] wisdom—but not the wisdom [of this world, nor of human origin] of this age [a long period of time, an era] or of the rulers [leaders, magistrates] of this age, who are coming to nothing [becoming useless, losing power]. word study 7 No, we speak of the mysterious [hidden, secret] and hidden [concealed, unseen] wisdom [spiritual understanding, discernment] of God [the one true deity], which He destined [predestined, ordained] for our glory [honor, praise] before [prior to, preceding] time began [the ages, eternity]. word study 8 None [no one, nobody] of the rulers [princes, leaders] of this age [world, long period of time] understood [knew, recognized] it. For if they had [if they had known, understood], they would not have crucified [put to death on a cross, nailed] the Lord [Master, God] of glory [honor, praise, divine splendor]. word study 9 Rather, as [just as, in the same way] it is written: “No [physical or spiritual] eye has seen, no [human or supernatural] ear has heard, no [human or spiritual] heart has imagined, what [wonderful things, blessings] God [the Father, Creator] has prepared [made ready, arranged] for those who [sincerely, unconditionally] love [esteem, obey] Him.” word study 10 But God [the Father, Creator of all] has revealed [uncovered, disclosed] it to us by the Spirit [the Holy Spirit, divine breath]. The Spirit [the divine Spirit, breath of God] searches [examines, investigates] all things [everything, the whole universe], even [including, especially] the deep things [mysteries, profound truths] of God [the Almighty, Eternal One]. word study 11 For who [what man] among men knows the thoughts [the things, the mind] of man except his own spirit [the spirit of the man, his vital principle] within him? So too, no one [none, nobody] knows the thoughts [the things, the mind] of God except the Spirit [the breath, the vital principle] of God. word study 12 We [as believers, recipients of God’s gift] have not received the spirit [the vital principle] of the world [the earthly realm], but the Spirit [the divine breath] who is from God [the one true deity], that we may understand [perceive spiritually] what God [the giver of all good things] has freely given [bestowed as a gift] us [to us as His children]. word study 13 And this is what we speak, not in words [taught by human wisdom, based on worldly knowledge] taught us by human [mortal, earthly] wisdom, but in words [given by the Holy Spirit, spiritually inspired] taught by the Spirit [the divine Breath, God’s presence], expressing [comparing, explaining] spiritual [non-carnal, supernatural] truths in spiritual [heavenly, divine] words. word study 14 The natural [unspiritual, worldly] man does not accept [receive, welcome] the things that come from the Spirit [breath, divine nature] of God [the one true deity]. For they are foolishness [silly, absurd behavior] to him, and he cannot understand [know, comprehend] them, because they are spiritually [non-physically, divinely] discerned [examined, investigated]. word study 15 The [spiritually mature, having God’s Spirit] spiritual [non-carnal or supernatural] man judges [investigates, discerns, carefully examines] all things [everything, every matter], but he himself is not subject to [under the judgment of, evaluated by] anyone’s [no one’s, nobody’s] judgment [investigation, discernment]. word study 16 “For who [which person, no human] has known [understood, recognized] the mind [intellect, understanding, thoughts] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority], so as to instruct [teach, guide, advise] Him?” But we [believers, followers of Christ] have the mind [thoughts, feelings, will] of Christ [the Anointed One, Jesus]. word study