His preaching was not in loftiness of words, but in spirit and power. And the wisdom he taught was not to be understood by the worldly wise or sensual man, but only by the spiritual man.

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.¹

1. 2:14The sensual man--the spiritual man: The sensual man is either he who is taken up with sensual pleasures, with carnal and worldly affections; or he who measures divine mysteries by natural reason, sense, and human wisdom only. Now such a man has little or no notion of the things of God. Whereas the spiritual man is he who, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide: but submits his judgment to the decisions of the church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ has promised to remain to the end of the world with his church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth.(Challoner)

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.