And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I ^adid not come as someone superior in ¹speaking ability or ²wisdom, as I proclaimed to you ^bthe ³testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except ^aJesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I also was with you in ^aweakness and ^bfear, and in great trembling, 4 and my ¹message and my preaching were ^anot in persuasive words of ²wisdom, but in demonstration of ^bthe Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not ¹rest on the ²wisdom of mankind, but on ^athe power of God.

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are ^amature; a wisdom, however, not of ^bthis age nor of the rulers of ^cthis age, who are ^dpassing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a ^amystery, the hidden wisdom which God ^bpredestined before the ^cages to our glory; 8 the wisdom ^awhich none of the rulers of ^bthis age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified ^cthe Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written:“^aTHINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HUMAN HEART,ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 10 ^1aFor to us God revealed them ^bthrough the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the ^cdepths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the ^aspirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we ^ahave not received the spirit of ^bthe world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, ^anot in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, ¹combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

14 But ¹a ^anatural person ^bdoes not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are ^cfoolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But the one who is ^aspiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is ¹discerned by no one. 16 For ^aWHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But ^bwe have the mind of Christ.

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the ^1atestimony of God concerning salvation through Christ, I ^bdid not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do; 2 for I made the decision to ¹know nothing that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while among you except ^aJesus Christ, and Him crucified and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection. 3 I came to you in a state of ^aweakness and ^bfear and great trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were ^anot in persuasive words of wisdom using clever rhetoric, but they were delivered in demonstration of ^bthe Holy Spirit operating through me and of His power stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on ^athe power of God.

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually ^amature believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding; but it is a higher wisdom not the wisdom of ^bthis present age nor of the rulers and leaders of ^cthis age, who are ^dpassing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a ^amystery, the wisdom once hidden from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom which God ^bpredestined before the ^cages to our glory to lift us into the glory of His presence. 8 ^aNone of the rulers of ^bthis age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified ^cthe Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written in Scripture,“^aTHINGS WHICH THE EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND THE EAR HAS NOT HEARD,AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed.” Is 64:4; 65:17 10 ^aFor God has unveiled them and revealed them to us ^bthrough the Holy Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things diligently, even sounding and measuring the profound ^cdepths of God the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding. 11 For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except ^athe man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we ^ahave received, not the spirit of ^bthe world, but the Holy Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the wonderful things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak of these things, ^anot in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words for those being guided by the Holy Spirit.

14 But the ^anatural unbelieving man ^bdoes not accept the things the teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are ^cfoolishness absurd and illogical to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters. 15 But the ^aspiritual man the spiritually mature Christian judges all things questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals, yet is himself judged by no one the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature. 16 For ^aWHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND and PURPOSES OF THE LORD, SO AS TO INSTRUCT HIM? But ^bwe have the mind of Christ to be guided by His thoughts and purposes. Is 40:13

And when I came to you, brothers, I ^adid not come with superiority of word or of wisdom, proclaiming to you ^bthe ¹witness of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except ^aJesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 And I was with you in ^aweakness and in ^bfear and in much trembling, 4 and my word and my preaching were ^anot in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of ^bthe Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in ^athe power of God.

6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are ^amature, a wisdom, however, not of ^bthis age nor of the rulers of ^cthis age, who are ^dbeing abolished. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a ^amystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God ^bpredestined before the ^cages to our glory, 8 ^awhich none of the rulers of ^bthis age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified ^cthe Lord of glory. 9 But just as it is written,“^aTHINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 10 ^1aBut to us God revealed them ^bthrough the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the ^cdepths of God. 11 For who among men knows the depths of a man except the ^aspirit of the man which is in him? Even so the depths of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we ^ahave received, not the spirit of ^bthe world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the depths graciously given to us by God, 13 of which depths we also speak, ^anot in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, ¹combining spiritual depths with spiritual words.

14 But ¹a ^anatural man ^bdoes not accept the depths of the Spirit of God, for they are ^cfoolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because ^dthey are spiritually examined. 15 But he who is ^aspiritual examines all things, yet he himself is examined by no one. 16 For ^aWHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE ¹LORD, THAT HE WILL DIRECT HIM? But ^bwe have the mind of Christ.