New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 2:11
11No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
- New International Version (NIV)For 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Context of 1 Corinthians 2:11
9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13When 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.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 21 Corinthians 2:11 word by word
τίς γὰρ οἶδεν ἀνθρώπων τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ; οὕτως καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐδεὶς ἔγνωκεν εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- knowethεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- the thingsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- saveεἰei · if: notG1487
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- evenκαίkai · andG2532
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:11
- Proverbs 14:10Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.
- Proverbs 20:5Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.
- Jeremiah 17:9“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
- 1 Corinthians 2:10But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
- Romans 11:33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man - The word in the first clause is omitted by the Codex Alexandrinus, and one other; and by Athanasius, Cyril, and Vigil of Tapsus. Bishop Pearce contends strongly against the authenticity of the word, and reads the passage thus: "For what is there that knoweth the things of a man, except the spirit of a man that is in him?" "I leave out," says the learned bishop, ", with the Alexandrian MS., and read ; because I…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11For what man - The design of this is, to illustrate what he had just said by a reference to the way in which man acquires the knowledge of himself. The purpose is to show that the Spirit has an exact and thorough knowledge of the things of God; and this is done by the very striking thought that no man can know his own mind, his own plans and intentions, but himself - his own spirit. The essential idea is, that no man can know another; that his thoughts…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. 10-12God has revealed it to us: Those who believe in Christ and have received his Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; Galatians 3:2; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5) are different from the rulers of this world (1 Corinthians 2:8). We cannot understand God's deep secrets through worldly wisdom or philosophy. Only God's Spirit can reveal God's thoughts to his people (see 1 John 2:20, 27; compare Matthew 11:25–27). God has kindly given his Spirit to his people so…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. what man, &c.--literally, "who of men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of that man?" things of God knoweth no man--rather, "none knoweth," not angel or man. This proves the impossibility of any knowing the things of God, save by the Spirit of God (who alone knows them, since even in the case of man, so infinitely inferior in mind to God, none of his fellow men, but his own spirit alone knows the things hidden within him).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:11
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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