New International Version
1 Corinthians 2:13
13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
1 Corinthians 2:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
- New King James Version (NKJV)These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
- New Living Translation (NLT)When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
Context of 1 Corinthians 2:13
11For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14The 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. 15The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,
Read all of 1 Corinthians 21 Corinthians 2:13 word by word
ἃ καὶ λαλοῦμεν οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις ἀλλ᾽ ἐν διδακτοῖς πνεύματος πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συγκρίνοντες.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Which thingsὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- we speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- notοὐou · noG3756
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- which man’sἀνθρώπινοςanthrōpinos · humanG442
- wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
- teachethδιδακτόςdidaktos · taughtG1318
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Ghostπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- comparingσυγκρίνωsugkrinō · to compareG4793
- spiritual thingsπνευματικόςpneumatikos · spiritualG4152
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:13
- 1 Corinthians 2:4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, 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 wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
- 2 Peter 1:16For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
- 1 Corinthians 12:1Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
- 1 Corinthians 14:2For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
- Luke 12:12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
- Acts 2:4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- 1 Peter 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14The 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.
- 1 Corinthians 9:11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
- 1 Corinthians 10:3They all ate the same spiritual food
- Ephesians 5:19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,
- Colossians 3:16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Which things also we speak - We dare no more use the language of the Jews and the Gentiles in speaking of those glorious things, than we can indulge their spirit. The Greek orators affected a high and florid language, full of tropes and figures, which dazzled more than it enlightened. The rabbins affected obscurity, and were studious to find out cabalistical meanings, which had no tendency to make the people wise unto salvation. The apostles could not…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Which things we speak - Which great, and glorious, and certain truths, we, the apostles, preach and explain. Not in the words which man‘s wisdom teacheth - Not such as human philosophy or eloquence would dictate. They do not have their origin in the devices of human wisdom, and they are not expressed in such words of dazzling and attractive rhetoric as would be employed by those who pride themselves on the wisdom of this world. But which the Holy Ghost…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. 13in words taught by the Spirit: Spiritual wisdom differs from human wisdom. The way spiritual wisdom is taught must differ from the way human wisdom is taught. Communicating and learning spiritual truth must happen through the Spirit's dimension and power. It is not just a rational, human exercise.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (1Co 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [Grotius]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:13
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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