1 Corinthians 2:6

1 Corinthians 2:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
• New International Version (NIV)We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
• New King James Version (NKJV)However, 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.

Context of 1 Corinthians 2:6

4And 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. 5I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:6 word by word

Σοφίαν δὲ λαλοῦμεν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις, σοφίαν δὲ οὐ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου οὐδὲ τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τῶν καταργουμένων·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Howbeitδέde · thenG1161
• we speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• themὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that are perfectτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
• notοὐou · noG3756
• of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• worldαἰώνaiōn · an age: ageG165
• norοὐδέoude · norG3761
• of the princesἄρχωνarchōn · rulerG758
• come to noughtκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 2:6

• 1 Corinthians 14:20Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.
• Job 1:1There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.
• Psalms 37:37Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
• Matthew 5:48But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
• Matthew 19:21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:11Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
• Ephesians 4:11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
• Philippians 3:12I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.
• Colossians 4:12Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.
• Hebrews 5:14Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
• James 3:2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
• 1 Peter 5:10In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
• 1 Corinthians 2:1When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.
• 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.
• Luke 16:8“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 2:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6We speak wisdom among them that are perfect - By the , among those that are perfect, we are to understand Christians of the highest knowledge and attainments- those who were fully instructed in the knowledge of God through Christ Jesus. Nothing, in the judgment of St. Paul, deserved the name of wisdom but this. And though he apologizes for his not coming to them with excellency of speech or wisdom, yet he means what was reputed wisdom among the Greeks…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6How be it - But deThis commences the “second” head or argument in this chapter, in which Paul shows that if human wisdom is missing in his preaching, it is not devoid of true, and solid, and even divine wisdom - Bloomfield. We speak wisdom - We do not admit that we utter foolishness. We have spoken of the foolishness of preaching 1 Corinthians 1:21; and of the estimate in which it was held by the world 1 Corinthians 1:22-28; and of our own manner among…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-9Verses 6-9 Those who receive the doctrine of Christ as Divine, and, having been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, have looked well into it, see not only the plain history of Christ, and him crucified, but the deep and admirable designs of Divine wisdom therein. It is the mystery made manifest to the saints, Col 1:26, though formerly hid from the heathen world; it was only shown in dark types and distant prophecies, but now is revealed and made known by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Among the mature: Only those who are spiritually mature will recognize God's wisdom. Many Corinthians could not recognize it (see 1 Corinthians 3:1–3). the rulers of this age: The rulers of this world (see also 2:8) are soon forgotten because Christ now rules. His enemies were defeated by his death on the cross (see 15:24–25; Colossians 2:15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. Yet the Gospel preaching, so far from being at variance with true "wisdom," is a wisdom infinitely higher than that of the wise of the world. we speak--resuming "we" (preachers, I, Apollos, &c.) from "we preach" (1Co 1:28), only that here, "we speak" refers to something less public (compare 1Co 2:7, 13, "mystery ... hidden") than "we preach," which is public. For "wisdom" here denotes not the whole of Christian doctrine, but its sublimer and deeper…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 2:6

• Gospel
• Perfection
• Philosophy
• Preaching
• Reasoning
• Wisdom
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Judge
• Lord
• Magistrate
• Mystery
• Spiritually
• Testimony
• Wisdom
• Wise, wisdom
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the

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