Chapter 2
Paul’s Approach to Ministry in Corinth
1 And I, when I1 came to you, brothers, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony2 of God.
ΚἀγὼKagōAnd I myselfG1473P-1NS + G2532 ἐλθὼνelthōnhaving comeG2064V-2AAP-NSM ἀδελφοί,adelphoibrothers,G0080N-VPM ἦλθονēlthoncameG2064V-2AAI-1S καθ᾽kath᾽according toG2596PREP ὑπεροχὴνhuperochēnexcellencyG5247N-ASF λόγουlogouof speechG3056N-GSM σοφίαςsophiaswisdomG4678N-GSF καταγγέλλωνkatangellōnproclaimingG2605V-PAP-NSM ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771P-2DP μυστήριονmustērionmysteryG3466N-ASN θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316N-GSM-T - *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
- Some manuscripts have “mystery”
2 For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
ἔκρινάekrinaI decidedG2919V-AAI-1S εἰδέναιeidenaito knowG6063V-RAN ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424GN-ASM-P ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547N-ASM-T τοῦτονtoutonHimG3778D-ASM ἐσταυρωμένον.estaurōmenoncrucified.G4717V-RPP-ASM 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling,
κἀγὼkagōAnd I myselfG1473P-1NS + G2532 ἀσθενείᾳastheneiaweaknessG0769GN-DSF τρόμῳtromōtremblingG5156N-DSM ἐγενόμηνegenomēnwasG1096V-2ADI-1S 4 and my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness1 of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power,
λόγοςlogosmessageG3056N-NSM κήρυγμάkērugmapreachingG2782N-NSN οὐκouk[were] notG3756PRT-N πειθοῖςpeithoispersuasiveG3981A-DPM ἀνθρωπίνηςanthrōpinēsof humanG0442A-GSF σοφίαςsophiasof wisdomG4678N-GSF λόγοιςlogoiswordsG3056N-DPM ἀποδείξειapodeixeidemonstrationG0585N-DSF πνεύματοςpneumatosof [the] SpiritG4151GN-GSN δυνάμεως,dunameōsof power,G1411N-GSF - Some manuscripts have “with persuasive words”
5 in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771P-2GP σοφίᾳsophiawisdomG4678N-DSF ἀνθρώπωνanthrōpōnof menG0444N-GPM δυνάμειdunameipowerG1411N-DSF θεοῦ.¶theouof God.G2316N-GSM-T The Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit
6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing,
ΣοφίανSophianWisdomG4678N-ASF λαλοῦμενlaloumenwe speakG2980V-PAI-1P τελείοις,teleioismature,G5046A-DPM σοφίανsophianwisdomG4678N-ASF τούτουtoutouof thisG3778D-GSM ἀρχόντωνarchontōnrulersG0758N-GPM τούτουtoutouof thisG3778D-GSM καταργουμένων·katargoumenōnare coming to naught;G2673V-PPP-GPM 7 but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory,
λαλοῦμενlaloumenwe speakG2980V-PAI-1P θεοῦtheouof GodG2316N-GSM-T σοφίανsophianwisdomG4678N-ASF μυστηρίῳmustēriōa mysteryG3466N-DSN ἀποκεκρυμμένην,apokekrummenēnhidden,G0613V-RPP-ASF προώρισενproōrisenforeordainedG4309V-AAI-3S δόξανdoxangloryG1391N-ASF ἡμῶν,hēmōnof us,G3165P-1GP 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew. For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
οὐδεὶςoudeisnoneG3762A-NSM ἀρχόντωνarchontōnrulersG0758N-GPM τούτουtoutouof thisG3778D-GSM ἔγνωκεν·egnōkenhas understood;G1097V-RAI-3S ἔγνωσαν,egnōsanthey had understood [it],G1097V-2AAI-3P δόξηςdoxēsof gloryG1391N-GSF ἐσταύρωσαν,estaurōsanthey crucified,G4717V-AAI-3P 9 But just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that1 God has prepared for those who love him.”2
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531CONJ γέγραπται·gegraptaiit has been written:G1125V-RPI-3S ὀφθαλμὸςophthalmoseyeG3788N-NSM εἶδενeidenhas seenG1492HV-2AAI-3S ἤκουσενēkousenhas heardG0191V-AAI-3S καρδίανkardianheartG2588N-ASF ἀνθρώπουanthrōpouof manG0444N-GSM ἀνέβη,anebēhas entered,G0305V-2AAI-3S ἡτοίμασενhētoimasenhas preparedG2090V-AAI-3S τοῖςtoisfor thoseG3588T-DPM ἀγαπῶσινagapōsinlovingG0025V-PAP-DPM αὐτόν.¶autonHim.G0846P-ASM - Some manuscripts have “which”
- A quotation from Isa 64:4
10 For1 to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
ἀπεκάλυψενapekalupsenrevealed [it]G0601V-AAI-3S πνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritG4151GN-GSN αὐτοῦ·autouof him;G0846P-GSM πάνταpantaall thingsG3956A-APN ἐραυνᾷ,eraunasearches,G2045V-PAI-3S βάθηbathēdepthsG0899N-APN θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316N-GSM-T - Some manuscripts have “But to us God has revealed them”
11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man that is in him? Thus also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
οἶδενoidenknowsG6063V-RAI-3S ἀνθρώπωνanthrōpōnamong menG0444N-GPM τὰtathe [things]G3588T-APN ἀνθρώπουanthrōpoumanG0444N-GSM ἀνθρώπουanthrōpoumanG0444N-GSM τὰtathe [things]G3588T-APN θεοῦtheouof GodG2316N-GSM-T οὐδεὶςoudeisno [one]G3762A-NSM ἔγνωκενegnōkenhas knownG1097V-RAI-3S θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316N-GSM-T 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
ἡμεῖςhēmeisWe ourselvesG3165P-1NP κόσμουkosmouworldG2889N-GSM ἐλάβομενelabomenhave receivedG2983V-2AAI-1P θεοῦ,theouGod,G2316N-GSM-T εἰδῶμενeidōmenwe may knowG6063V-RAS-1P τὰtathe [things]G3588T-APN χαρισθένταcharisthentahaving been grantedG5483V-APP-APN ἡμῖν·hēminto us;G3165P-1DP 13 things which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.1
λαλοῦμενlaloumenwe speakG2980V-PAI-1P διδακτοῖςdidaktoistaughtG1318A-DPM ἀνθρωπίνηςanthrōpinēsof humanG0442A-GSF σοφίαςsophiaswisdomG4678N-GSF λόγοιςlogoiswordsG3056N-DPM διδακτοῖςdidaktoistaughtG1318A-DPM πνεύματοςpneumatosof [the] SpiritG4151GN-GSN πνευματικοῖςpneumatikoisby spiritual [means]G4152A-DPN πνευματικὰpneumatikaspiritual thingsG4152A-APN συγκρίνοντες.sugkrinontescommunicating.G4793V-PAP-NPM - Or “in spiritual words”
14 But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
ψυχικὸςpsuchikos[The] naturalG5591A-NSM ἄνθρωποςanthrōposmanG0444N-NSM δέχεταιdechetaiacceptsG1209V-PNI-3S τὰtathe [things]G3588T-APN πνεύματοςpneumatosSpiritG4151GN-GSN θεοῦ,theouof God,G2316N-GSM-T μωρίαmōriafoolishnessG3472N-NSF ἐστιν,estinthey are,G1510V-PAI-3S δύναταιdunataihe is ableG1410V-PNI-3S γνῶναι,gnōnaito understand [them],G1097V-2AAN πνευματικῶςpneumatikōsspirituallyG4153ADV ἀνακρίνεται.anakrinetaithey are discerned.G0350V-PPI-3S 15 Now the spiritual person discerns all things, but he himself is judged by no one.
πνευματικὸςpneumatikosspiritualG4152A-NSM ἀνακρίνειanakrineijudgesG0350V-PAI-3S πάντα,pantaall thingsG3956A-APN αὐτὸςautoshe himselfG0846P-NSM οὐδενὸςoudenosno [one]G3762A-GSM ἀνακρίνεται.anakrinetaiis judged.G0350V-PPI-3S 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord; who has advised him?”1 But we have the mind of Christ.
ἔγνωegnōhas knownG1097V-2AAI-3S νοῦνnoun[the] mindG3563N-ASM κυρίου,kuriouof [the] Lord?G2962GN-GSM-T συμβιβάσειsumbibaseiwill instructG4822V-FAI-3S αὐτόν;autonHim?G0846P-ASM ἡμεῖςhēmeisWe ourselvesG3165P-1NP νοῦνnoun[the] mindG3563N-ASM ΧριστοῦChristouof ChristG5547N-GSM-T ἔχομεν.¶echomenhave.G2192V-PAI-1P - A quotation from Isa 40:13