1 Corinthians 2:4

Amplified Bible

And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them],

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
My teaching and my speaking were not with wise words that persuade people. But the proof of my teaching was the power that the Spirit gives.

Revised Standard Version
and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And my wordes and my preachinge were not with entysynge wordes of manes wysdome: but in shewinge of ye sprete and of power

Hebrew Names Version
My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

International Standard Version
My message and my preaching were not accompanied by clever words of wisdom, but by a display of the Spirit's power,Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Peter 1:16;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

New Century Version
My teaching and preaching were not with words of human wisdom that persuade people but with proof of the power that the Spirit gives.

Update Bible Version
And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Webster's Bible Translation
And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power:

English Standard Version
and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

World English Bible
My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And my speech and my preaching was not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Weymouth's New Testament
And my language and the Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried home;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and my word and my preching was not in suteli sturyng wordis of mannus wisdom, but in schewyng of spirit and of vertu;

English Revised Version
And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Berean Standard Bible
My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

Contemporary English Version
When I talked with you or preached, I didn't try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God's Spirit show his power.

American Standard Version
And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Bible in Basic English
And in my preaching there were no honeyed words of wisdom, but I was dependent on the power of the Spirit to make it clear to you:

Complete Jewish Bible
and neither the delivery nor the content of my message relied on compelling words of "wisdom" but on a demonstration of the power of the Spirit,

Darby Translation
and my word and my preaching, not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of [the] Spirit and of power;

Etheridge Translation
And my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasion of the words of wisdom, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power;

Murdock Translation
And my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness of the discourses of wisdom; but with the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power:

King James Version (1611)
And my speech, and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wisedome, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power:

New Living Translation
And 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.

New Life Bible
What I had to say when I preached was not in big sounding words of man's wisdom. But it was given in the power of the Holy Spirit.

New Revised Standard
My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Neither stoode my woorde, and my preaching in the entising speach of mans wisdom, but in plaine euidence of the Spirite and of power,

George Lamsa Translation
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, my discourse, and what I proclaimed, were not in suasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of Spirit and power:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom. but in shewing of the Spirit and power:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And my wordes and my preachyng was not with entysing wordes of mans wisedome, but in shewyng of the spirite, and of power:

Good News Translation
and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God's Spirit.

Christian Standard Bible®
My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

King James Version
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Lexham English Bible
and my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power,

Literal Translation
And my word and my preaching was not in enticing words of human wisdom, but in proof of the Spirit and of power,

Young's Literal Translation
and my word and my preaching was not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power --

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and my worde and my preachinge was not with entysinge wordes of mans wyssdome, but in shewinge of the sprete and of power:

Mace New Testament (1729)
my discourse, and my preaching did not consist in the persuasive reasonings of human wisdom, but in demonstrating the spiritual meaning of the scriptures:

New English Translation
My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

New King James Version
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human [fn] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Simplified Cowboy Version
But as I said, the message you heard was a plain and simple one. I didn't rely on practiced sermons, but on the power of the Holy Ghost.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Legacy Standard Bible
and my word and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Contextual Overview

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

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my speech: Acts 20:27

not: 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 1:17, Judges 14:15, Judges 16:5, 2 Samuel 14:17-20, 2 Samuel 15:2-6, 1 Kings 22:13, 1 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles 18:19-21, Proverbs 7:21, Proverbs 20:19, Jeremiah 20:10, Ezekiel 13:6, Ezekiel 13:10, Ezekiel 13:11, Romans 16:18, Colossians 2:4, 2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 2:18

enticing: or, persuasible, Acts 26:28, Galatians 1:10

but: 1 Corinthians 4:20, John 16:8-15, Romans 15:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Peter 1:12

Reciprocal: Judges 7:2 - too many Micah 3:8 - I am Zechariah 4:6 - Not Mark 16:20 - the Lord Luke 4:32 - General John 4:41 - because Acts 6:10 - the spirit Acts 24:1 - orator Romans 1:16 - for it is 2 Corinthians 1:12 - not 2 Corinthians 6:6 - by the 2 Corinthians 6:7 - the power 2 Corinthians 10:10 - but Colossians 4:4 - as 1 Thessalonians 2:4 - not 2 Timothy 1:7 - but 2 Timothy 4:3 - having

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth."

Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

Genesis 2:1
So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts (inhabitants).

Genesis 2:2
And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Genesis 5:1
This is the book (the written record, the history) of the generations of [the descendants of] Adam. When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness].

Genesis 10:1
These are the records of the generations (descendants) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and the sons born to them after the flood:

Genesis 11:10
These are the records of the generations of Shem [from whom Abraham descended]. Shem was a hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood.

Genesis 25:12
Now these are the records of the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maid, bore to Abraham;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And my speech, and my preaching,.... As he determined, so he acted. As the subject matter of his ministry was not any of the liberal arts and sciences, or the philosophy and dry morality of the Gentiles, but salvation by a crucified Christ; so his style, his diction, his language used in preaching,

was not with enticing words of man's wisdom; with technical words, words of art, contrived by human wisdom to captivate the affections; and with bare probable arguments only, a show of reason to persuade the mind to an assent, when nothing solid and substantial is advanced, only a run of words artfully put together, without any strength of argument in them; a method used by the false teachers, and which the apostle here strikes at, and tacitly condemns:

but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; partly by making use of solid proofs out of the writings of the Old Testament, indited by the Spirit of God, and which amounted to a demonstration of the truths he delivered; and partly by signs, and wonders, and miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, those extraordinary instances of divine power, which greatly confirmed the doctrines he preached: and besides all these, the Spirit of God wonderfully assisted him in his work, both as to words and matter; directing him, what to say, and in what form, in words, not which human wisdom taught, but which the Holy Ghost taught; and accompanying his ministry with his power, to the conversion, comfort, edification, and salvation of many.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And my speech - The word “speech” here - if it is to be distinguished from “preaching” - refers, perhaps, to his more private reasonings; his preaching to his public discourses.

Not with enticing words - Not with the persuasive reasonings (πειθοῖς λόγοις peithois logois) of the wisdom of men. Not with that kind of oratory that was adapted to captivate and charm; and which the Greeks so much esteemed.

But in demonstration - In the showing ἀποδείξει apodeixei; or in the testimony or evidence which the Spirit produced. The meaning is, that the Spirit furnished the evidence of the divine origin of the religion which he preached, and that it did not depend for its proof on his own reasonings or eloquence. The proof, the demonstration which the Spirit furnished was, undoubtedly, the miracles which were performed; the gift of tongues; and the remarkable conversions which attended the gospel - The word “Spirit” here refers, doubtless, to the Holy Spirit; and Paul says that this Spirit had furnished demonstration of the divine origin and nature of the gospel. This had been by the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 1:5-7. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:0), and by the effects of his agency in renewing and sanctifying the heart.

And of power - That is, of the power of God 1 Corinthians 2:5; the divine power and efficacy which attended the preaching of the gospel there. Compare 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - The effect of the gospel is the evidence to which the apostle appeals for its truth. That effect was seen:

(1) In the conversion of sinners to God of all classes, ages, and conditions, when all human means of reforming them was vain.

(2) In its giving them peace, joy, and happiness; and in its transforming their lives.

(3) In making them different people - in making the drunkard sober; the thief honest; the licentious pure; the profane reverent; the indolent industrious; the harsh and unkind, gentle and kind; and the wretched happy.

(4) In its diffusing a mild and pure influence over the laws and customs of society; and in promoting human happiness everywhere - And in regard to this evidence to which the apostle appeals, we may observe:

(1) That is a kind of evidence which anyone may examine, and which no one can deny. It does not need labored, abstruse argumentation, but it is everywhere in society. Every man has witnessed the effects of the gospel in reforming the vicious, and no one can deny that it has this power.

(2) It is a mighty display of the power of God. There is no more striking exhibition of his power over mind than in a revival of religion. There is no where more manifest demonstration of his presence than when, in such a revival, the proud are humbled, the profane are awed, the blasphemer is silenced, and the profligate, the abandoned, and the moral are converted unto God, and are led as lost sinners to the same cross, and find the same peace.

(3) The gospel has thus evidenced from age to age that it is from God. Every converted sinner furnishes such a demonstration; and every instance where it produces peace, hope, joy, shows that it is from heaven.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 2:4. And my speech — ο λογος μου, My doctrine; the matter of my preaching.

And my preaching — το κηρυγμα μου, My proclamation, my manner of recommending the grand but simple truths of the Gospel.

Was not with enticing words of man's wisdom — ενπειθοις ανθρωπινης σοφιας λογοις, With persuasive doctrines of human wisdom: in every case I left man out, that God might become the more evident. I used none of the means of which great orators avail themselves in order to become popular, and thereby to gain fame.

But in demonstration of the Spirit — αποδειξει, In the manifestation; or, as two ancient MSS. have it, αποκαλυψει, in the revelation of the Spirit. The doctrine that he preached was revealed by the Spirit: that it was a revelation of the Spirit, the holiness, purity, and usefulness of the doctrine rendered manifest: and the overthrow of idolatry, and the conversion of souls, by the power and energy of the preaching, were the demonstration that all was Divine. The greater part of the best MSS., versions, and fathers, leave out the adjective ανθρωπινης, man's, before σοφιας, wisdom: it is possible that the word may be a gloss, but it is necessarily implied in the clause. Not with the persuasive discourses, or doctrines of wisdom; i.e. of human philosophy.