New King James Version
1 Corinthians 2:4
4And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
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 Living Translation (NLT)And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Context of 1 Corinthians 2:4
2For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 6However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 21 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 20:27For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:1And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
- Judges 14:15But it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?”
- Judges 16:5And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.”
- 2 Samuel 14:17Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ”
- 2 Samuel 15:2Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”
- 1 Kings 22:13Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:19And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.
- Proverbs 7:21With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.
- Proverbs 20:19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
- Jeremiah 20:10For I heard many mocking: “Fear on every side!” “Report,” they say, “and we will report it!” All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, “Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.”
- Ezekiel 13:6They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.
- Romans 16:18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
- Colossians 2:4Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
- 2 Peter 1:16For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries