The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ.

For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

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

And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power;

That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

(Ephesians 1:15–23)

Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought;

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

Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.

But to us God hath revealed them, by this Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God.

Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined.

But the spiritual man judgeth all things; and he himself is judged of no man.

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

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