1 Corinthians 2:1

1 Corinthians 2:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
• New International Version (NIV)And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

Context of 1 Corinthians 2:1

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

1 Corinthians 2:1 word by word

Κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, ἦλθον οὐ καθ᾽ ὑπεροχὴν λόγου ἢ σοφίας καταγγέλλων ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Iκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• when I cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• notοὐou · noG3756
• withκατάkata · according toG2596
• excellencyὑπεροχήhuperochē · authorityG5247
• of speechλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• orἤē · orG2228
• of wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• declaringκαταγγέλλωkataggellō · to proclaimG2605
• the testimonyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the testimonyμαρτύριονmarturion · testimonyG3142
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:1

• Acts 18:1After this, he left Athens and went to Corinth,
• 1 Corinthians 2:4My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,
• 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.
• Exodus 4:10But Moses replied to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent — either in the past or recently or since you have been speaking to your servant — because my mouth and my tongue are sluggish.”
• Jeremiah 1:6But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.”
• Romans 16:18because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.
• 2 Corinthians 10:10For it is said, “His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak and his public speaking amounts to nothing.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything.
• 1 Corinthians 1:6In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you,
• Isaiah 8:20Go to God’s instruction and testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them.
• Acts 20:21I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
• Acts 22:18and saw him telling me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
• 2 Thessalonians 1:10on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.
• 1 Timothy 1:11that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.
• 2 Timothy 1:8So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.
• 1 John 4:14And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, 1 Corinthians 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And I, brethren - Keeping up the tender and affectionate style of address. When I came unto you - When I came at first to preach the gospel at Corinth. Acts 18:1 ff. Came not with excellency of speech - Came not with graceful and attractive eloquence. The apostle here evidently alludes to that nice ant studied choice of language; to those gracefully formed sentences, and to that skill of arrangement in discourse and argument which was so much an object of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The plain manner in which the apostle preached Christ crucified. (1-5) The wisdom contained in this doctrine. (6-9) It cannot be duly known but by the Holy Spirit. (10-16) Verses 1-5 Christ, in his person, and offices, and sufferings, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister's preaching, but not so as to leave out other parts of God's revealed truth and will. Paul preached the whole counsel of God. Few…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1When I came to you: see Acts 18:1–17. with eloquence or wisdom: Human wisdom and philosophy do not bring people to Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:17, 21; 2:2). The message of the cross has its own power to change the human heart (see 1:17; Romans 1:16; Galatians 6:14). the testimony about God: See study note on 1 Corinthians 2:7.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-161Co 2:1-16. Paul's Subject of Preaching, Christ Crucified, Not in Worldly, but in Heavenly, Wisdom among the Perfect. 1. And I--"So I" [Conybeare] as one of the "foolish, weak, and despised" instruments employed by God (1Co 1:27, 28); "glorying in the Lord," not in man's wisdom (1Co 1:31). Compare 1Co 1:23, "We." when I came--(Ac 18:1, &c.). Paul might, had he pleased, have used an ornate style, having studied secular learning at Tarsus of Cilicia, which…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:1

• Humility
• Minister, Christian
• Philosophy
• Preaching
• Reasoning
• Wisdom
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Judge
• Lord
• Mystery
• Spiritually
• Testimony
• Wisdom
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the

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