God’s Word Translation
1 Corinthians 2:14
14A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them.
1 Corinthians 2:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Context of 1 Corinthians 2:14
12Now, we didn’t receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us. 13We don’t speak about these things using teachings that are based on intellectual arguments like people do. Instead, we use the Spirit’s teachings. We explain spiritual things to those who have the Spirit. A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the teachings of God’s Spirit. He thinks they’re nonsense. He can’t understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them. 15Spiritual people evaluate everything but are subject to no one’s evaluation. 16“Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach him?” However, we have the mind of Christ.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 21 Corinthians 2:14 word by word
ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ, μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν, καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- the naturalψυχικόςpsuchikos · naturalG5591
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- receivethδέχομαιdechomai · to receiveG1209
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the thingsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- of the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- foolishnessμωρίαmōria · foolishnessG3472
- unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- he knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- they are spirituallyπνευματικῶςpneumatikōs · spirituallyG4153
- discernedἀνακρίνωanakrinō · to investigateG350
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:14
- 1 Corinthians 15:44It is planted as a physical body. It comes back to life as a spiritual body. As there is a physical body, so there is also a spiritual body.
- James 3:15That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic.
- Jude 1:19These are the people who cause divisions. They are concerned about physical things, not spiritual things.
- Matthew 13:11Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd.
- Matthew 16:23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
- John 3:3Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see God’s kingdom without being born from above.”
- John 8:43Why don’t you understand the language I use? Is it because you can’t understand the words I use?
- John 10:26However, you don’t believe because you’re not my sheep.
- John 12:37Although they had seen Jesus perform so many miracles, they wouldn’t believe in him.
- Romans 8:5Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature’s attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature’s attitude.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12Now, we didn’t receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us.
- John 14:26However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.
- John 15:26“The helper whom I will send to you from the Father will come. This helper, the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, will declare the truth about me.
- John 16:8He will come to convict the world of sin, to show the world what has God’s approval, and to convince the world that God judges it.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18The message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.
- John 8:51I can guarantee this truth: Whoever obeys what I say will never see death.”
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14But the natural man - , The animal man - the man who is in a mere state of nature, and lives under the influence of his animal passions; for the word , which we often translate soul, means the lower and sensitive part of man, in opposition to , the understanding or rational part. The Latins use anima to signify these lower passions; and animus to signify the higher. The person in question is not only one who either has had no spiritual teaching, or has…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14But the natural man - ̀ , ̀ ̓́ psuchikos de anthrōposThe word “natural” here stands opposed evidently to “spiritual.” It denotes those who are governed and influenced by the natural instincts; the animal passions and desires, in opposition to those who are influenced by the Spirit of God. It refers to unregenerate people; but it has also not merely the idea of their being unregenerate, but that of their being influenced by the animal passions or desires…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-16Verses 10-16 God has revealed true wisdom to us by his Spirit. Here is a proof of the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, 2Pe 1:21. In proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, observe, that he knows all things, and he searches all things, even the deep things of God. No one can know the things of God, but his Holy Spirit, who is one with the Father and the Son, and who makes known Divine mysteries to his church. This is most clear testimony, both to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14The natural man: Unbelievers have minds that are closed to the Spirit. They live in the natural world and see life only through physical eyes (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). They cannot understand the importance of the good news about Jesus, as it is mainly a spiritual message.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. natural man--literally, "a man of animal soul." As contrasted with the spiritual man, he is governed by the animal soul, which overbears his spirit, which latter is without the Spirit of God (Jude 19). So the animal (English Version, "natural") body, or body led by the lower animal nature (including both the mere human fallen reason and heart), is contrasted with the Spirit-quickened body (1Co 15:44-46). The carnal man (the man led by bodily…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:14
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
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