1 And so, brothers, when I came to you, announcing to you the testimony of Christ, I did not bring exalted words or lofty wisdom. 2 For I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and with much trembling. 4 And my words and preaching were not the persuasive words of human wisdom, but were a manifestation of the Spirit and of virtue, 5 so that your faith would not be based on the wisdom of men, but on the virtue of God. 6 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. 7 Instead, we speak of the wisdom of God in a mystery which has been hidden, which God predestined before this age for our glory, 8 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. 9 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.” 10 But God has revealed these things to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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. 14 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. 15 But the spiritual nature of man judges all things, and he himself may be judged by no man. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians · Catholic Public Domain Version
1 Corinthians 2 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Exodus 4:10; Romans 16:18
- 2 Galatians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 1:22–25; Philippians 3:8–10; John 17:3; Galatians 3:1
- 3 2 Corinthians 13:4; 1 Corinthians 4:10–13; 2 Corinthians 12:5–10; 2 Corinthians 13:9; Galatians 4:13–14
- 4 1 Corinthians 4:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:1; Romans 15:19
- 5 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 3:6
- 6 Hebrews 5:14; James 3:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 1:28
- 7 Colossians 1:26–27; 2 Peter 1:3; Romans 16:25–26; Matthew 11:25; Psalm 78:2
- 8 Acts 13:27; James 2:1; Acts 7:2; 1 Corinthians 2:6; Psalm 24:7–10
- 9 Isaiah 64:4; Psalm 31:19; James 1:12; Romans 8:28; Isaiah 65:17
- 10 John 14:26; Ephesians 3:5; Luke 10:21; John 16:13; Ephesians 3:3
- 11 Proverbs 20:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Romans 11:33–34; Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 14:10
- 12 1 John 2:27; Romans 8:5–6; 1 John 2:20; 1 John 5:19–20; 1 John 4:4–5
- 13 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1–3
- 14 1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 8:5–8; Matthew 13:11–17; 2 Corinthians 4:4–6; 1 John 2:27
- 15 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Hebrews 5:14; Proverbs 28:5; 1 John 4:1; 1 Corinthians 14:37
- 16 Isaiah 40:13–14; Romans 11:34; John 16:13–16; John 15:15; Job 15:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Nothing was ever more prepared for combat than the spirit of Paul; or rather, I should say, not his spirit, (for he was not himself the inventor of these things,) but, nothing was ever equal to the grace working within him, which overcometh all things.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
For [the Scripture] saith, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He hath prepared for them that wait for Him." Chapter XXXV — Immense is this reward.
… forth the material, animal, and spiritual, saying in one place, "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy;" and in another place, "But the animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit;" and again: "He that is spiritual judgeth all things." And this, "The animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit," they affirm to …
… things which are before," we were seeking between ourselves in the presence of the Truth, which Thou art, of what nature the eternal life of the saints would be, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man. But yet we opened wide the mouth of our heart, after those supernal streams of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… in mentioning this, he hath mentioned also the resurrection of our bodies, and the manifestation of His miracles here, and our partaking of His kingdom, and the good things, which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man." For all these things He bestowed on us by that gift.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)