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New King James Version

1 Corinthians 2:6

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gospel;   Perfection;   Philosophy;   Preaching;   Reasoning;   Wisdom;   Zeal, Religious;   Scofield Reference Index - Holy Spirit;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Ministers;   Philosophy;   Religious;   Wisdom;   Wisdom, Worldly;   Wisdom-Folly;   Worldly;   The Topic Concordance - Government;   Knowledge;   Mystery;   Wisdom;   World;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Perfection;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Confidence;   Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Destroy, Destruction;   Wisdom;   World;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Perfection;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Wise, Wisdom;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Mystery;   Holman Bible Dictionary - 1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Mystery;   Paul the Apostle;   Prince;   Trinity;   World;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Aeon;   Age;   Angels;   Colossians, Epistle to the;   Cross, Cross-Bearing;   Demon;   Fool;   Inspiration;   Knowledge;   Mental Characteristics;   Mystery ;   Perfect Perfection;   Philosophy;   Prince;   Religion (2);   Winter ;   World;   Worldliness;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Perfect;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Eschatology of the New Testament;   Magistrate;   Mystery;   Nought;   Papyrus;   Perfect;   Philosophy;   Prince;   Principality;   Ruler;   Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament;   Wisdom;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for December 9;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We teach wisdom to people who are mature, but the wisdom we teach is not from this world. It is not the wisdom of the rulers of this world, who are losing their power.
Revised Standard Version
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.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
That we speake of is wysdome amonge them that are perfecte: not the wysdome of this worlde nether of the rulars of this worlde (which go to nought)
Hebrew Names Version
We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.
International Standard Version
However, when we are among mature people, we do speak a message ofa message of">[fn] wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world or of the rulers of this world, who are passing off the scene.1 Corinthians 1:20,28; 14:20; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:15; Hebrews 5:14; James 3:15;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
New Century Version
However, I speak a wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world, who are losing their power.
Update Bible Version
We speak wisdom, however, among those that are full-grown: yet a wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing:
Webster's Bible Translation
However, 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 naught:
English Standard Version
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.
World English Bible
We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Yet we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery,
Weymouth's New Testament
Yet when we are among mature believers we do speak words of wisdom; a wisdom not belonging, however, to the present age nor to the leaders of the present age who are soon to pass away.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For we speken wisdom among perfit men, but not wisdom of this world, nether of princes of this world, that ben distried;
English Revised Version
Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, which are coming to nought:
Berean Standard Bible
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom-but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
Contemporary English Version
We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn't the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear.
Amplified Bible
Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away;
American Standard Version
We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
Bible in Basic English
But still we have wisdom for those who are complete in knowledge, though not the wisdom of this world, and not of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing:
Complete Jewish Bible
Yet there is a wisdom that we are speaking to those who are mature enough for it. But it is not the wisdom of this world or of this world's leaders, who are in the process of passing away.
Darby Translation
But we speak wisdom among the perfect; but wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought.
Etheridge Translation
But we speak wisdom among the perfect: not the wisdom of this world, nor the authorities of this world, which are abolished;
Murdock Translation
Yet we do speak wisdom, among the perfect; the wisdom not of this world, nor of the potentates of this world, who will come to naught.
King James Version (1611)
Howbeit wee speake wisedome among them that are perfect: yet not the wisedome of this worlde, nor of the Princes of this worlde, that come to nought:
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
We speak wisdom to full-grown Christians. This wisdom is not from this world or from the leaders of today. They die and their wisdom dies with them.
New Revised Standard
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect: not the wisedome of this world, neither of the princes of this world, which come to nought.
George Lamsa Translation
Howbeit we do discuss wisdom with those who have comprehension, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world who pass away:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wisdom, however, we do speak, among the full-grown, - wisdom, indeed, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are to come to nought;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And we speake wisedome among the that are perfite: not the wisedome of this world, neither of the princes of this world, which come to naught.
Good News Translation
Yet I do proclaim a message of wisdom to those who are spiritually mature. But it is not the wisdom that belongs to this world or to the powers that rule this world—powers that are losing their power.
Christian Standard Bible®
We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
King James Version
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:
Lexham English Bible
Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but wisdom not of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing,
Literal Translation
But we speak wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, those being brought to nothing.
Young's Literal Translation
And wisdom we speak among the perfect, and wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age -- of those becoming useless,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
That we speake of, is wyssdome amonge the yt are perfecte: not ye wyssdome of this worlde, nether of the rulers of this worlde which go to naughte:
Mace New Testament (1729)
However, what we preach is wisdom, to those who are thoroughly instructed: yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who will soon come to nothing.
THE MESSAGE
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.
New English Translation
Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But don't get me wrong, when I'm with top hands I can give them wisdom that can even make them better hands. But this knowledge isn't one you can hear from blowhards and braggarts.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
Legacy Standard Bible
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature, a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are being abolished.

Contextual Overview

6 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. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,Nor have entered into the heart of manThe things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Isaiah 64:4 ">[fn] 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy [fn] Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

them: 1 Corinthians 14:20,*Gr: Job 1:1, Psalms 37:37, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 19:21, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 4:11-13, Philippians 3:12-15, Colossians 4:12, Hebrews 5:14, James 3:2, 1 Peter 5:10

not: 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 1:19, Luke 16:8, 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2, James 3:15

of the: 1 Corinthians 2:8, Job 12:19, Job 12:21, Psalms 2:1-6, Isaiah 19:11-13, Isaiah 40:23, Acts 4:25-28

come: 1 Corinthians 1:28, Psalms 33:10

Reciprocal: Job 28:20 - General Psalms 146:4 - his thoughts Proverbs 2:7 - layeth Proverbs 8:6 - for Jeremiah 3:15 - which shall Amos 5:5 - come Matthew 11:25 - because Matthew 23:34 - and wise Luke 10:21 - thou hast John 11:49 - Ye 1 Corinthians 2:12 - not 1 Corinthians 3:1 - as unto spiritual 1 Corinthians 3:19 - the wisdom 1 Corinthians 4:19 - but 1 Corinthians 12:8 - is given Ephesians 3:4 - ye may Philippians 3:15 - as Colossians 1:28 - in all Colossians 2:3 - In whom 1 Timothy 6:20 - oppositions 2 Timothy 2:15 - rightly James 1:4 - perfect and James 3:17 - the wisdom

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Howbeit we speak wisdom,.... Though the wise philosophers among the Gentiles accounted the Gospel foolishness; and though the apostle, by an ironical concession, had called the ministry of it the foolishness of preaching, and the foolishness of God, and had thought best, for wise reasons, to deliver it in a plain and simple manner, without the embellishments of human wisdom; yet he vindicates it from the charge of folly: it was not folly, but wisdom, which he and his fellow ministers preached, and that of the highest kind, as appears from what follows. Though it was not esteemed so by all men, yet

among, or with

them that are perfect; adult, at age, opposed to babes and children; such who have their understandings enlightened by the spirit of wisdom and revelation; who have their senses exercised to discern between divine and human wisdom; and who are perfect in a comparative sense, having more spiritual knowledge and understanding than others; for none, in the present state of things, are absolutely perfect in knowledge; they that know most, know but in part: now to such the Gospel and the doctrines of it appear to be the highest wisdom; for the apostle's sense is not that he and other Gospel ministers preached the more sublime doctrines of it to a select set of persons that had more judgment and a better understanding of things than others: if this could be thought to be the apostle's meaning, he might be supposed to allude to a custom among the Jews, not to deliver the sublime things of the law, but to persons so and so qualified.

"Says R. Ame r, they do not deliver the secrets of the law, but to him who has the five things or characters in Isaiah 3:3''

So they did not suffer the first chapter of Genesis and the visions of Ezekiel to be read until thirty years of age s; and from them the Pythagoreans took their notion of not declaring their mysteries but to τελειοι, "perfect ones", the word here used t; but the apostle's sense is, that to such that were perfect, and even to everyone that had the least degree of spiritual knowledge, the Gospel was wisdom. Some refer this clause not to persons, but things; and so the Arabic version reads it, "we speak wisdom concerning things that are perfect"; as the things of the Gospel are, such as a plenteous redemption, perfect righteousness, full pardon, plenary satisfaction, and complete salvation and happiness:

yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: meaning not the idolatry, superstition, curious and magic arts introduced by demons, which principalities and powers, with all their works, are spoiled and destroyed by Christ; but either the political wisdom and crafty schemes of the civil governors of the world, against Christ and his Gospel, who were by this time most, if not all of them, dead; or the vain philosophy of the wise and learned among the Gentiles, who every day were less and less in vogue, through the quick and powerful spread of the Gospel; or rather the highest pitch of wisdom and knowledge in divine things, which the doctors and Rabbins among the Jews attained to in the age before the Messiah's coming; called "this world" in distinction from the times of the Messiah, which in Jewish language was, "the world to come", as Dr. Lightfoot observes; who with all their wisdom were confounded and brought to nought by the superior wisdom of the Gospel.

r T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 13. 1. s Hieron. prefat. in Ezekiel & ad Paulin. Tom. III. fol. 3. 2. t Hierocles in Pythag. Carmin. p. 302.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How be it - But δε de. This 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 you as not laying claim to human learning or eloquence; but we do not design to admit that we have been really speaking folly. We have been uttering that which is truly wise, but which is seen and understood to be such only by those who are qualified to judge - by those who may be denominated “perfect,” that is, those who are suited by God to understand it. By “wisdom” here, the apostle means that system of truth which he had explained and defended - the plan of salvation by the cross of Christ.

Among them that are perfect - (ἐν τοῖς τελείοις en tois teleios). This word “perfect” is here evidently applied to Christians, as it is in Philippians 3:15, “Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded.” And it is clearly used to denote those who were advanced in Christian knowledge; who were qualified to understand the subject; who had made progress in the knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel; and who thus saw its excellence. It does not mean here that they were sinless, for the argument of the apostle does not bear on that inquiry, but that they were qualified to understand the gospel in contradistinction from the gross, the sensual, and the carnally minded, who rejected it as foolishness. There is, perhaps, here an allusion to the pagan mysteries, where those who had been fully initiated were said to be perfect - fully instructed in those rites and doctrines. And if so, then this passage means, that those only who have been fully instructed in the knowledge of the Christian religion, will be qualified to see its beauty and its wisdom. The gross and sensual do not see it, and those only who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit are qualified to appreciate its beauty and its excellency.

Not the wisdom of the world - Not that which this world has originated or loved.

Nor of the princes of this world - Perhaps intending chiefly here the rulers of the Jews; see 1 Corinthians 2:8. They neither devised it, nor loved it, nor saw its wisdom; 1 Corinthians 2:8.

That come to naught - That is, whose plans fail; whose wisdom vanishes; and who themselves, with all their pomp and splendor, come to nothing in the grave; compare Isaiah 14:0. All the plans of human wisdom shall fail; and this which is originated by God only shall stand,

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 2:6. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect — By the εν τοις τελειοις, 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, and which, in the sight of God, was mere folly when compared with that wisdom that came from above. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the apostle mentions a fourfold wisdom.

1. Heathen wisdom, or that of the Gentile philosophers, 1 Corinthians 1:22, which was termed by the Jews חכמה יונית chokmah yevanith, Grecian wisdom; and which was so undervalued by them, that they joined these two under the same curse: Cursed is he that breeds hogs; and cursed is he who teaches his son Grecian wisdom. Bava Kama, fol. 82.

2. Jewish wisdom; that of the scribes and Pharisees, who crucified our Lord, 1 Corinthians 2:8.

3. The Gospel, which is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7.

4. The wisdom, του αιωνος τουτου, of this world; that system of knowledge which the Jews made up out of the writings of their scribes and doctors. This state is called העולם הזה haolam hazzeh, this or the present world; to distinguish it from העולם הבא haolam habba the world to come; i.e. the days of the Messiah. Whether we understand the term, this world, as relating to the state of the Gentiles, cultivated to the uttermost in philosophical learning, or the then state of the Jews, who had made the word of God of no effect by their traditions, which contained a sort of learning of which they were very fond and very proud, yet, by this Grecian and Jewish wisdom, no soul ever could have arrived at any such knowledge or wisdom as that communicated by the revelation of Christ. This was perfect wisdom; and they who were thoroughly instructed in it, and had received the grace of the Gospel, were termed τελειοι, the perfect. This, says the apostle, is not the wisdom of this world, for that has not the manifested Messiah in it; nor the wisdom of the rulers of this world-the chief men, whether philosophers among the Greeks, or rabbins among the Jews (for those we are to understand as implied in the term rulers, used here by the apostle) these rulers came to nought; for they, their wisdom, and their government, were shortly afterwards overturned in the destruction of Jerusalem. This declaration of the apostle is prophetic. The ruin of the Grecian superstition soon followed.


 
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