1 Corinthians 2:14

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

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. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

1 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 15:44They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
• James 3:15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
• Jude 1:19These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
• Matthew 13:11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
• Matthew 16:23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
• John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
• John 8:43Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me!
• John 10:26But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.
• John 12:37But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him.
• Romans 8:5Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
• 1 Corinthians 2:12And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
• John 14:26But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
• John 15:26“But I will send you the Advocate —the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
• John 16:8And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
• 1 Corinthians 1:18The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
• John 8:51I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

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

• Blindness
• Depravity of Man
• Holy Spirit
• Reasoning
• Regeneration
• Unbelief
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Faith
• Judge
• Lord
• Mystery
• Regeneration
• Spiritually
• Testimony

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