1 Corinthians 2:10

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit knows all things. The Spirit even knows the deep secrets of God.

Revised Standard Version
God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But God hath opened them vnto vs by his sprete. For ye sprete searcheth all thinges ye the bottome of Goddes secretes.

Hebrew Names Version
But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

International Standard Version
ButFor">[fn] God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God.Matthew 13:11; 16:17; John 14:26; 16:13; 1 John 2:27;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

New Century Version
But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit searches out all things, even the deep secrets of God.

Update Bible Version
But to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
But God hath revealed [them] to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God.

English Standard Version
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

World English Bible
But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God.

Weymouth's New Testament
For us, however, God has drawn aside the veil through the teaching of the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, including the depths of the divine nature.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but God schewide to vs bi his spirit. For whi the spirit serchith alle thingis, yhe, the depe thingis of God.

English Revised Version
But unto us God revealed [them] through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Berean Standard Bible
But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Contemporary English Version
God's Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God.

Amplified Bible
For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding].

American Standard Version
But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Bible in Basic English
But God has given us the revelation of these things through his Spirit, for the Spirit makes search into all things, even the deep things of God.

Complete Jewish Bible
It is to us, however, that God has revealed these things. How? Through the Spirit. For the Spirit probes all things, even the profoundest depths of God.

Darby Translation
but God has revealed to us by [his] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Etheridge Translation
BUT unto us hath Aloha revealed, by his Spirit. For the Spirit all things searcheth, also the depths of Aloha.

Murdock Translation
But God hath revealed it to us, by his Spirit; for the Spirit exploreth all things, even the profound things of God.

King James Version (1611)
But God hath reueiled them vnto vs by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deepe things of God.

New Living Translation
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.

New Life Bible
God has shown these things to us through His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who looks into all things, even the secrets of God, and shows them to us.

New Revised Standard
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But God hath reueiled them vnto vs by his Spirit: for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deepe things of God.

George Lamsa Translation
But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Unto us, in fact, hath God revealed through the Spirit; for, the Spirit, into all things, maketh search, yea! the deep things of God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But to us God hath revealed them by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But God hath reuealed the vnto vs by his spirite: For the spirite searcheth all thinges, yea the deepe thinges of God.

Good News Translation
But it was to us that God made known his secret by means of his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God's purposes.

Christian Standard Bible®
Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

King James Version
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Lexham English Bible
For to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Literal Translation
But God revealed them to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Young's Literal Translation
but to us did God reveal [them] through His Spirit, for the Spirit all things doth search, even the depths of God,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But God hath opened it vnto vs by his sprete. For the sprete searcheth out all thinges, yee euen the depenesses of the God heade.

Mace New Testament (1729)
this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.

New English Translation
God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

New King James Version
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
God told us the secret through the Holy Ghost. His Spirit is the one who guides us on the trail and reveals the mysteries of God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
But to us God revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

Contextual Overview

⁶We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way. The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. ¹¹ You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else. We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way. The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. ¹² You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else. We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way. The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit. ¹³ You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else. We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface. It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven't a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn't have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That's why we have this Scripture text: No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him. But you've seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you. The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you're thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he's thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way. ¹⁴The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing, and can't be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah's question, "Is there anyone around who knows God's Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?" has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ's Spirit.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Corinthians 14:30, Amos 3:7, Matthew 11:25-27, Matthew 13:11, Matthew 16:17, Luke 2:26, Luke 10:21, Ephesians 3:3, Ephesians 3:5, 1 Peter 1:12, Revelation 1:1

by: Isaiah 48:16, Isaiah 59:21, John 14:26, John 16:13, 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27

the Spirit: 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27

the deep: Job 12:22, Psalms 92:5, Psalms 92:6, Daniel 2:22, Romans 11:33-36

Reciprocal: Job 11:7 - Canst Job 32:8 - the inspiration Isaiah 54:13 - all Isaiah 64:4 - have not Daniel 2:19 - was Daniel 12:10 - but the wise Matthew 13:44 - like 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 2 Corinthians 10:14 - we stretch not Galatians 1:11 - that Ephesians 1:9 - made Ephesians 1:17 - revelation 1 Thessalonians 4:8 - who Revelation 2:7 - let him

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city, this sacred haunt of the Most High. God lives here, the streets are safe, God at your service from crack of dawn. Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten, but Earth does anything he says.

Revelation 22:1
Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations. Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center. His servants will offer God service—worshiping, they'll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God. Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs. And they will rule with him age after age after age.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But God hath revealed them unto us,.... Should it be said, that since this wisdom is so hidden and mysterious, the doctrines of the Gospel are so unknown, so much out of the sight and understanding of men, how come any to be acquainted with them? The answer is ready, God has made a revelation of them, not only in his word, which is common to men, nor only to his ministers, but to private Christians and believers,

by his Spirit; which designs not the external revelation made in the Scriptures, though that also is by the Spirit; but the internal revelation and application of the truths of the Gospel to the souls of men, which is sometimes ascribed to the Father of Christ.

Matthew 16:17 sometimes to Christ himself, Galatians 1:12 and sometimes to the Spirit of Christ, Ephesians 1:17 and who guides into all truth, John 16:13, and here to the Father by the Spirit:

for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God; which does not suppose any ignorance of these things in the Spirit, antecedent to his searching of them; but his complete and perfect knowledge of them; even as God's searching of the hearts of men expresses his omniscience, and through knowledge of all that is in them: the "all things" the Spirit searches into, and has a perfect knowledge of, do not design in the utmost extent everything which comes within the compass of his infinite understanding; but every thing that is in, or belongs to the Gospel of Christ, even the more mysterious and sublime, as well as the more plain and easy doctrines: for the "deep things of God" intend not the perfections of his nature, which are past finding out unto perfection by men; nor the depths of his wise and righteous providence; but the mysterious doctrines of the Gospel, the fellowship of the mystery which was hid in God, his wise counsels of old concerning man's salvation, the scheme of things drawn in his eternal mind, and revealed in the word.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But God hath revealed them - That is, those elevated views and enjoyments to which people everywhere else had been strangers, and which have been under all other forms of religion unknown, have been communicated to us by the revelation of God - This verse commences the “third” part of this chapter, in which the apostle shows how these truths, so full of wisdom had been communicated to Christians. It had not been by any native endowments of theirs; not by any strength of faculties, or powers. but solely by revelation from God.Unto us - That is, first to the apostles; secondly, to all Christians - to the church and the world through their inspired instructors; and third, to all Christians by the illuminating agency of the Spirit on their hearts. The connection shows that he did not mean to confine this declaration to the apostles merely, for his design was to show that all Christians had this knowledge of the true wisdom. It was true that this was revealed in an eminent manner to the apostles, and through their inspired preaching and writings; but it is also true, that the same truths are communicated by the agency of the same Spirit to all Christians; John 16:12-14. No truth is now communicated to Christians which was not revealed to and by the inspired writers; but the same truths are imparted by means of their writings, and by the illumination of the Spirit to all the true friends of God.

By his Spirit - By the Holy Spirit, that was promised by the Saviour. John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:7-14. This proves:

(1) That people by nature are not able to discover the deep things of God - the truths which are needful to salvation.

(2) That the apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit; and if so, then the Scriptures are inspired.

(3) That all Christians are the subjects of the teaching of the Holy Spirit; that these truths are made known to them by his illumination; and that but for this, they would remain in the same darkness as other men.

For the Spirit - The Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of God; see 1 Corinthians 2:11.

Searcheth - This word does not fully express the force of the original ἐρευνᾷ ereuna. It means to search accurately, diligently, so as fully to understand; such profound research as to have thorough knowledge. So David uses the Hebrew word חקר chaaqar in Psalms 139:1. So the word is used to denote a careful and accurate investigation of secret and obscure things, in 1 Peter 1:11. Compare John 7:52; Romans 8:27; Revelation 2:23, where it is used to denote that profound and accurate search by which the desires and feelings of the heart are known - implying the most profound knowledge of which we can have any conception; see Proverbs 20:27. Here it means, that the Holy Spirit has an intimate knowledge of all things. It is not to be supposed that he searches, or inquires as people do who are ignorant; but that he has an intimate and profound knowledge, such as is usually the result of a close and accurate search. The result is what the apostle means to state - the accurate, profound, and thorough knowledge, such as usually attends research. He does not state the mode in which it is obtained; but the fact. And he uses a word more emphatic than simple knowledge, because he designs to indicate that his knowledge is profound, entire, and thorough.

All things - All subjects; all laws; all events; all beings.

The deep things of God - He has a thorough knowledge of the hidden counsels or purposes of God; of all his plans and purposes. He sees all his designs. He sees all his councils; all his purposes in regard to the government of the universe, and the scheme of salvation. He knows all whom God designs to save; he sees all that they need; and he sees how the plan of God is suited to their salvation - This passage proves:

(1) That the Spirit is, in some respects, distinct from the Father, or from him who is here called God. Else how could he be said to search all things, even the deep purposes of God? To “search” implies “action, thought, personality.” An attribute of God cannot be said to search. How could it be said of the justice, the goodness, the power, or the wisdom of God that it “searches,” or “acts?” To search, is the action of an intelligent agent, and cannot be performed by an attribute.

(2) The Spirit is omniscient. He searches or clearly understands “all things” - the very definition of omniscience. He understands all the profound plans and counsels of God. And how can there be a higher demonstration of omniscience than to “know God?” - But if omniscient, the Holy Spirit is divine - for this is one of the incommunicable attributes of God; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalms 139:1; Jeremiah 17:10.

(3) He is not a distinct being from God. There is a union between him and God, such as may be compared to the union between a man and his soul, 1 Corinthians 2:11. God is one; and though he subsists as Father, Son, and Spirit, yet he is one God, Deuteronomy 6:4 - This passage is, therefore, a very important, and a decisive one in regard to the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 2:10. But God hath revealed them unto us — A manifest proof that the apostle speaks here of the glories of the Gospel, and not of the glories of the future world.

For the Spirit searcheth all things — This is the Spirit of God, which spoke by the prophets, and has now given to the apostles the fulness of that heavenly truth, of which He gave to the former only the outlines.

Yea, the deep things of God. — It is only the Spirit of God which can reveal the counsels of God: these are the purposes which have existed in His infinite wisdom and goodness from eternity; and particularly what refers to creation, providence, redemption, and eternal glory, as far as men and angels are concerned in these purposes. The apostles were so fully convinced that the scheme of redemption proclaimed by the Gospel was Divine, that they boldly asserted that these things infinitely surpassed the wisdom and comprehension of man. God was now in a certain way become manifest; many attributes of his, which to the heathen world would have for ever lain in obscurity, (for the world by wisdom knew not God,) were now not only brought to light as existing in him, but illustrated by the gracious displays which He had made of himself. It was the Spirit of God alone that could reveal these things; and it was the energy of that Spirit alone that could bring them all into effect-stamp and seal them as attributes and works of God for ever. The apostles were as truly conscious of their own inspiration as they were that they had consciousness at all; and what they spoke, they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.