Paul’s Message by the Spirit’s Power 1 CPDV And so, brothers, when I came to you, announcing to you the testimony of Christ, I did not bring exalted words or lofty wisdom. BSB BSB: When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
2 CPDV For I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. BSB BSB: For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
3 CPDV And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and with much trembling. BSB BSB: I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4 CPDV And my words and preaching were not the persuasive words of human wisdom, but were a manifestation of the Spirit and of virtue, BSB BSB: My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
5 CPDV so that your faith would not be based on the wisdom of men, but on the virtue of God. BSB BSB: so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Spiritual Wisdom (Ephesians 1:15–23)
6 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: Among 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.
7 CPDV Instead, we speak of the wisdom of God in a mystery which has been hidden, which God predestined before this age for our glory, BSB BSB: No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
8 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: None of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 CPDV 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.” BSB BSB: Rather, 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.”
10 CPDV But God has revealed these things to us through his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. BSB BSB: But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: For 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.
12 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: We 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.
13 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: And 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.
14 CPDV 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. BSB BSB: The 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.
15 CPDV But the spiritual nature of man judges all things, and he himself may be judged by no man. BSB BSB: The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
16 CPDV For who has known the mind of the Lord, so that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. BSB BSB: “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.