1 Corinthians, 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.

1. When I came to reveal to you he mystery of God's plan I did not count on eloquence or on a show of learning.

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

2. I was determined not to know anything among you but Jesus, the Messiah, and a crucified Messiah.

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

3. I myself came weak, fearful and trembling;

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

4. my words and preaching were not brilliant or clever to win listeners.

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

5. It was, rather, a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might be a matter, not of human wisdom, but of God's power.

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:

6. In fact, we do speak of wisdom to the mature in faith, although it is not a wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who, by the way, come to nothing.

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

7. We teach the mystery and secret plan of divine wisdom, which God destined from the beginning to bring us to Glory.

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

8. No ruler of this world ever knew this; otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.

9. But 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.

9. But as Scripture says: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it dawned on the mind what God has prepared for those who love him.

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

10. God has revealed it to us, through his Spirit, because the Spirit probes everything, even the depth of God.

11. For 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.

11. Who but his own spirit knows the secrets of a person? Similarly, no one but the Spirit of God knows the secrets of God.

12. Now 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.

12. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God and, through him, we understand what God in his goodness has given us.

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

13. So we speak of this, not in terms inspired by human wisdom, but in a language taught by the Spirit, explaining a spiritual wisdom to spiritual persons.

14. But 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.

14. The one who remains on the psychologic level does not understand the things of the Spirit. They are foolishness for him and he does not understand because they require a spiritual experience.

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

15. On the other hand, the spiritual person judges everything but no one judges him.

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

16. Who has known the mind of God so as to teach him? But we have the mind of Christ.