1 Corinthians 2

1 Corinthians · Chapter 2

1 Corinthians 2:16

1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.6Howbeit 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:7But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.11For 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.12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14But 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.15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
WhoτίςtisG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

has knownἔγνωegnōG1097
to know

γινώσκω (ginōskō) γινώσκω (= γιγν-: see previous word. So also vulgar Attic, in Inscr., see Thumb, MGV, 207), [in LXX chiefly for ידע ;] to be taking in knowledge, come to know, recognize, perceive, understand; in past tenses to know, realize; pass., to become known: with accusative, Mat.22:18, Mrk.5:43, Col.4:8, 1Th.3:5, al. Pass., Mat.10:26, Php.4:5, al.; before ὅτι, Mat.21:45, Jhn.4:1, al.; τί, Mat.6:3; ἀπό, Mrk.15:45; ὅ, Rom.7:15; τ. λεγόμενα, Luk.18:34; τ. θέλημα, Luk.12:47; τ. καρδίας, Luk.16:15; with accusative of person(s), of recognition by God, 1Co.8:3, Gal.4:9; by Christ, neg., Mat.7:23; frequently …

[the] mindνοῦνnounG3563
mind

νοῦς (nous) νοῦς (contr. from νόος), ὁ, genitive, dative, νοός, νοΐ (late forms, = cl., νοῦ, νῷ; Bl., § 9, 3), accusative, νοῦν, [in LXX chiefly for לֵב, לֵבָב ;] 1. prop., of the ruling faculty, mind, understanding, reason (see Lft., Notes, 88 f.; Vaughan on Rom.7:23): Luk.24:45, Rom.1:28 7:23 12:2 14:5, Eph.4:17, 23 Php.4:7, 2Th.2:2, 1Ti.6:5, 2Ti.3:8, Tit.1:15, Rev.13:18 17:9; ν. τ. σαρκός (ICC, in l), Col.2:18; opposite to σάρξ, Rom.7:25; to πνεῦμα, 1Co.14:14-15; to γλῶσσα, 1Co.14:19 2. By meton., of an act of mind, a mind, thought, purpose: Rom.11:34 = 1Co.2:16" (LXX), 1Co.1:10.† νόος, see: νοῦς …

of [the] Lord?κυρίου,kuriouG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma …

WhoὃςhosG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

will instructσυμβιβάσειsumbibaseiG4822
to join with

συμβιβάζω (sumbibazō) συν-βιβάζω (Rec. συμ-), [in LXX: Exo.4:12, 15, Lev.10:11, Jdg.13:8, Psa.32:8 (יָרָה hi.); Exo.18:16, Deu.4:9, Isa.40:13 (יָדַע hi.), Isa.40:14 (בִּין hi.), Da TH Dan.9:22 (שָׂכַל hi.) * ;] 1. to join or knit together, unite: Eph.4:16, Col.2:2 (but see infr.), Col.2:19. 2. to compare, consider, conclude (Plat.): Act.16:10. 3. to deduce, prove, demonstrate (Arist.): Act.9:22. 4. As in LXX ("translation Greek," = ἐμβιβάζω, metaphorically), to teach, instruct: 1Co.2:16 Act.19:33, R, mg. (also in Vg., Col.2:2, instructi, but see supr.).† (AS)

Him?αὐτόν;autonG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

We ourselvesἡμεῖςhēmeisG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

howeverδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

[the] mindνοῦνnounG3563
mind

νοῦς (nous) νοῦς (contr. from νόος), ὁ, genitive, dative, νοός, νοΐ (late forms, = cl., νοῦ, νῷ; Bl., § 9, 3), accusative, νοῦν, [in LXX chiefly for לֵב, לֵבָב ;] 1. prop., of the ruling faculty, mind, understanding, reason (see Lft., Notes, 88 f.; Vaughan on Rom.7:23): Luk.24:45, Rom.1:28 7:23 12:2 14:5, Eph.4:17, 23 Php.4:7, 2Th.2:2, 1Ti.6:5, 2Ti.3:8, Tit.1:15, Rev.13:18 17:9; ν. τ. σαρκός (ICC, in l), Col.2:18; opposite to σάρξ, Rom.7:25; to πνεῦμα, 1Co.14:14-15; to γλῶσσα, 1Co.14:19 2. By meton., of an act of mind, a mind, thought, purpose: Rom.11:34 = 1Co.2:16" (LXX), 1Co.1:10.† νόος, see: νοῦς …

of ChristΧριστοῦChristouG5547
Christ

Χριστός (Christos) χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. …

have.ἔχομεν.¶echomenG2192
to have/be

ἔχω (echō) ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.