1 Corinthians 21 Corinthians2

Berean Standard BibleKing James Version

1. Paul’s Message by the Spirit’s Power

2. 1BSBWhen I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.KJVKJV: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
3. 2BSBFor I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.KJVKJV: For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
4. 3BSBI came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.KJVKJV: And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
5. 4BSBMy message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,KJVKJV: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
6. 5BSBso that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.KJVKJV: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

7. Spiritual Wisdom

   (Ephesians 1:15–23)

8. 6BSBAmong the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.KJVKJV: 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:
9. 7BSBNo, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.KJVKJV: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
10. 8BSBNone of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.KJVKJV: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
11. 9BSBRather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”KJVKJV: 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.
12. 10BSBBut God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.KJVKJV: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
13. 11BSBFor who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.KJVKJV: 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.
14. 12BSBWe have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.KJVKJV: 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.
15. 13BSBAnd this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.KJVKJV: 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.
16. 14BSBThe natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.KJVKJV: 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.
17. 15BSBThe spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.KJVKJV: But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
18. 16BSB“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.KJVKJV: For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.