1 Corinthians 2:4

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

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. I didn’t speak my message with persuasive intellectual arguments. I spoke my message with a show of spiritual power 5so that your faith would not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power. 6However, we do use wisdom to speak to those who are mature. It is a wisdom that doesn’t belong to this world or to the rulers of this world who are in power today and gone tomorrow.

1 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• speechὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• speechλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• preachingκήρυγμαkērugma · preachingG2782
• notοὐou · noG3756
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• enticingπειθόςpeithos · persuasiveG3981
• of man’sἀνθρώπινοςanthrōpinos · humanG442
• wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• demonstrationἀπόδειξιςapodeixis · demonstrationG585
• of the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• of powerδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:4

• Acts 20:27I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1Brothers 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.
• 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.
• Judges 14:15On the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Trick your husband into solving the riddle for us. If you don’t, we’ll burn you and your family to death. Did the two of you invite us ⌞just to make us poor⌟?”
• Judges 16:5The Philistine rulers came to her and said, “Trick him, and find out what makes him so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. We want to tie him up in order to torture him. Each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
• 2 Samuel 14:17I thought that you would reassure me. You are like God’s Messenger, who is able to distinguish right from wrong. May the Lord your God be with you!”
• 2 Samuel 15:2Absalom used to get up early and stand by the road leading to the city gate. When anyone had a case to be tried by King David, Absalom would ask, “Which city are you from?” After the person had told him which tribe in Israel he was from,
• 1 Kings 22:13The messenger who went to call Micaiah told him, “The prophets have all told the king the same good message. Make your message agree with their message. Say something good.”
• 2 Chronicles 18:19The Lord asked, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel so that he will attack and be killed at Ramoth in Gilead?’ Some answered one way, while others were saying something else.
• Proverbs 7:21With all her seductive charms, she persuades him. With her smooth lips, she makes him give in.
• Proverbs 20:19Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets. Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open.
• Jeremiah 20:10I have heard many ⌞people⌟ whispering, “Terror is everywhere! Report him! Let’s report him!” All my closest friends are waiting to see me stumble. They say, “Maybe he will be tricked. Then we can overpower him and take revenge on him.”
• Ezekiel 13:6These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don’t come true. They say, “The Lord said this.” But the Lord hasn’t sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true.
• 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.
• Colossians 2:4I say this so that no one will mislead you with arguments that merely sound good.
• 2 Peter 1:16When we apostles told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we didn’t base our message on clever myths that we made up. Rather, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes.

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

• Gospel
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian
• Philosophy
• Power
• Preaching
• Reasoning
• Wisdom
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Judge
• Lord
• Luke, Gospel according to
• Mystery
• Spiritually
• Testimony
• Wisdom
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Holy Spirit

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