American Standard Version
1 Corinthians 2:4
4And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1 Corinthians 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
- New International Version (NIV)My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
- English Standard Version (ESV)and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Context of 1 Corinthians 2:4
2For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
Read all of 1 Corinthians 21 Corinthians 2:4 word by word
καὶ ὁ λόγος μου καὶ τὸ κήρυγμά μου οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖς σοφίας λόγοις ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀποδείξει πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως,Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:4
- Acts 20:27For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:1And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
- Judges 14:15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to impoverish us? is it not so?
- Judges 16:5And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
- 2 Samuel 14:17Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Jehovah thy God be with thee.
- 2 Samuel 15:2And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
- 1 Kings 22:13And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak thou good.
- 2 Chronicles 18:19And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
- Proverbs 7:21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
- Proverbs 20:19He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.
- Jeremiah 20:10For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
- Ezekiel 13:6They have seen falsehood and lying divination, that say, Jehovah saith; but Jehovah hath not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.
- Romans 16:18For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.
- Colossians 2:4This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
- 2 Peter 1:16For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And my speech - ̔ , My doctrine; the matter of my preaching. And my preaching - , My proclamation, my manner of recommending the grand but simple truths of the Gospel. Was not with enticing words of man's wisdom - , With persuasive doctrines of human wisdom: in every case I left man out, that God might become the more evident. I used none of the means of which great orators avail themselves in order to become popular, and thereby to gain fame. But in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And my speech - The word “speech” here - if it is to be distinguished from “preaching” - refers, perhaps, to his more private reasonings; his preaching to his public discourses. Not with enticing words - Not with the persuasive reasonings ( ͂ ́ peithois logois) of the wisdom of men. Not with that kind of oratory that was adapted to captivate and charm; and which the Greeks so much esteemed. But in demonstration - In the showing ̓́ apodeixeior in the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Human weakness does not stop God's work (2 Corinthians 12:7–10). The true power is not in charismatic preaching, presentation skills, or logical arguments (compare 2 Corinthians 10:10). It is in the message itself, focused on Christ and his death for our sins. It is also in the power of the Holy Spirit, who touches the human heart.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. my speech--in private. preaching--in public [Bengel]. Alford explains it, My discourse on doctrines, and my preaching or announcement of facts. enticing--rather, "persuasive." man's wisdom--man's is omitted in the oldest authorities. Still "wisdom" does refer to "man's" wisdom. in demonstration of ... Spirit, &c.--Persuasion is man's means of moving his fellow man. God's means is demonstration, leaving no doubt, and inspiring implicit faith, by the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries