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

Brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I didn’t speak about God’s mystery as if it were some kind of brilliant message or wisdom. 2While I was with you, I decided to deal with only one subject—Jesus Christ, who was crucified. 3When I came to you, I was weak. I was afraid and very nervous.

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, Paul left Athens and went to the city of Corinth.
• 1 Corinthians 2:4I didn’t speak my message with persuasive intellectual arguments. I spoke my message with a show of spiritual power
• 1 Corinthians 1:17Christ didn’t send me to baptize. Instead, he sent me to spread the Good News. I didn’t use intellectual arguments. That would have made the cross of Christ lose its meaning.
• Exodus 4:10Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not a good speaker. I’ve never been a good speaker, and I’m not now, even though you’ve spoken to me. I speak slowly, and I become tongue-tied easily.”
• Jeremiah 1:6I, Jeremiah, said, “Almighty Lord, I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy!”
• Romans 16:18People like these are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive unsuspecting people.
• 2 Corinthians 10:10I know that someone is saying that my letters are powerful and strong, but that I’m a weakling and a terrible speaker.
• 2 Corinthians 11:6Even though I’m not good with words, I know what I’m talking about. Timothy and I have made this clear to you in every possible way.
• 1 Corinthians 1:6Our message about Christ has been verified among you.
• Isaiah 8:20They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions. If people don’t speak these words, it is because it doesn’t dawn on them.
• Acts 20:21I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
• Acts 22:18and saw the Lord. He told me, ‘Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem immediately. The people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’
• 2 Thessalonians 1:10⌞This will happen⌟ on that day when he comes to be honored among all his holy people and admired by all who have believed in him. This includes you because you believed the testimony we gave you.
• 1 Timothy 1:11Moses’ Teachings were intended to be used in agreement with the Good News that contains the glory of the blessed God. I was entrusted with that Good News.
• 2 Timothy 1:8So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord or be ashamed of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God’s power, join me in suffering for the sake of the Good News.
• 1 John 4:14We have seen and testify to the fact that the Father sent his Son as the Savior of the world.

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