1 Corinthians 2

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.

And as for me, brethren, I, when I came unto you to preach the Gospel of God, did not come to you with flourishes of vain eloquence, nor with the persuasions of human wisdom and learning; as I see the false teachers do, to insinuate themselves the better into your minds.

1 Corinthians 2:2

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

For, howsoever I were able to know and discourse with the best of them, as having been trained up at the feet of a learned master; yet I resolved to let go all that secular skill, and so to bear myself amongst you, as if I knew nothing else in the world but Christ and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:3

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

And I was amongst you in much meekness and humility; in manifold infirmities; in much awe of that great and weighty charge, which I sustained; in much fear of those many and spiteful machinations of mine enemies against me.

1 Corinthians 2:4

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

And my speech, both in my private exhortations and in my public preachings, was not curiously plausible, as if I would win with words of human eloquence and wit; but in plain and powerful expressions of God’s Spirit, speaking in me, and working in you by me.

1 Corinthians 2:5

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

That so your faith might not rest and depend upon, or appear to be wrought by, the force of man’s persuasion or wisdom, but by the mighty power of God’s Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:6

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:

Yet, let no man think it is out of our disability, that we speak not in these high strains of wisdom, which others so much wonder at: for both we can and do speak deep points of wisdom and divine knowledge, amongst them that are attained to a meet perfection of skill to conceive it; yet not points of carnal and secular wisdom, such as the world admires, and the great men of this world, who vanish and come to nothing, are wont to affect:

1 Corinthians 2:7

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

But we speak divine wisdom, even the deep mysteries of the Gospel of God, which he hath hid from the eyes of the world; even that, which concerns the Salvation of man, by his Son Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh: which Gospel of his was ordained by him before the world was, as the means to bring us to his glory:

1 Corinthians 2:8

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, &c.

Which none of the great rulers of this world, Herod, Pilate, the High Priests, and the other Governors of Judea knew; for had they known it, &c.

1 Corinthians 2:9

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.

But herein also hath God made good that of the prophet Isaiah; The eye hath not seen, &c. the things that God hath prepared for them that love him; and therefore these spiritual blessings, of remission of sins and salvation by Christ, are things far beyond the reach and apprehension of the eyes, and ears, and hearts of the men of this world.

1 Corinthians 2:10

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

But God hath vouchsafed to reveal them unto us by his Spirit; having, by the power thereof, illuminated our minds, to see these great things of God; for the Spirit of God alone is he, that doth fully know, and is able to reveal them unto us: He only knoweth all things, and particularly the deepest mysteries of God’s eternal counsel, and proceedings with men.

1 Corinthians 2:11

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

For, as it is with men, so it is with God also: what man knoweth a man’s secret thoughts, but only himself, and his own soul or spirit? even so, the secret counsels and mysteries of God can none know, but the Spirit of God only.

1 Corinthians 2:12

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.

Now, this Spirit of God is that, which we have received: we, that are his regenerate children, are partakers, not of that spirit wherewith worldly men are led and carried, but of that good Spirit which is of God; that we might, by his illumination and grace, know and apprehend the great, spiritual, and heavenly blessings of forgiveness and salvation, that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13

Comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Fitting spiritual things with plain and simple spiritual expressions; and not uttering spiritual things, in a carnal and affected fashion.

I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother.

I was much grieved and troubled in my soul, for that I met not with Titus, my brother, by whom I made account to hear of your estate.

1 Corinthians 2:14

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.

But the man, that is merely natural and unregenerate, receiveth not these divine mysteries of the Spirit of God: for they seem to be mere foolishness unto him, who is nothing but flesh and blood; neither indeed can he, while he continues in that condition, know or conceive them, because they are to be discerned by spiritual eyes, which he hath not.

And maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

And casteth abroad the sweet perfume or savour of the knowledge of God by our preaching, in every place; so as the world is, as it were, filled therewith.

1 Corinthians 2:15

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

But he, that is renewed by the Spirit of God, knoweth, and apprehendeth, and rightly judgeth of all these spiritual things; yet he himself is judged of no carnal man, so as that his knowledge in these divine matters can be controlled or censured by him.

For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

For we, by our preaching, are as a sweet and acceptable perfume in the nostrils of God; casting abroad and spreading the fragrant savour of Christ, all the world over; graciously accepted of God, howsoever we speed with men; since he doth not judge of us by the event, but regards and crowns our conscionable labours, whether they light upon them that are saved, or on them that perish.

1 Corinthians 2:16

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

For the counsel and will of God is hid from carnal minds; so as the prophet might well ask, Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But as for us, we, that be his renewed and faithful ones, we have the will of Christ clearly revealed unto us.

To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

To the one, we are as a deadly savour, by reason that their corruption turns this wholesome and saving Gospel into poison, and thereby makes our preaching an occasion of their destruction; to the other, we are a sweet and comfortable savour, giving both the life of grace here to those that receive our Gospel, and of eternal glory hereafter: so as this employment is noble and great, and of exceeding importance; and how few are there, that are fit and able to discharge it?

1 Corinthians 2:17

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

As for us, blessed be God, he hath fitted us for it: for we are not as many, who do corrupt and adulterate the word of God, mixing it with their own fancies, and preaching it plausibly and covetously, so as they may humour others and advantage themselves; but we have preached the pure and sincere word of God unto you, and that with truth and uprightness of heart, as in the sight of God, by the direction and authority of Christ.