1 Corinthians 2:7

New Living Translation

No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But we speak God's secret wisdom that has been hidden from everyone until now. God planned this wisdom for our glory. He planned it before the world began.

Revised Standard Version
But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
but we speake ye wysdome of God which is in secrete and lieth hyd which God ordeyned before the worlde vnto oure glory:

Hebrew Names Version
But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds to our glory,

International Standard Version
Instead, we speak about God's secret wisdom that has been hidden, which God destined for our glory before the world began.began">[fn]Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:5,9; Colossians 1:26; 2 Timothy 1:9;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

New Century Version
I speak God's secret wisdom, which he has kept hidden. Before the world began, God planned this wisdom for our glory.

Update Bible Version
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that has been hidden, which God predetermined before the ages to our glory:

Webster's Bible Translation
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom] which God ordained before the world to our glory:

English Standard Version
But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

World English Bible
But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds to our glory,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
which God ordained before the world for our glory;

Weymouth's New Testament
But in dealing with truths hitherto kept secret we speak of God's wisdom--that hidden wisdom which, before the world began, God pre-destined, so that it should result in glory to us;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but we speken the wisdom of God in mysterie, `which wisdom is hid; which wisdom God bifor ordeynede bifor worldis in to oure glorie,

English Revised Version
but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory:

Berean Standard Bible
No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.

Contemporary English Version
We speak of God's hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began.

Amplified Bible
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom] which God predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift us into the glory of His presence].

American Standard Version
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory:

Bible in Basic English
But we give the news of the secret wisdom of God, which he had kept in store before the world came into existence, for our glory;

Complete Jewish Bible
On the contrary, we are communicating a secret wisdom from God which has been hidden until now but which, before history began, God had decreed would bring us glory.

Darby Translation
But we speak God's wisdom in [a] mystery, that hidden [wisdom] which God had predetermined before the ages for our glory:

Etheridge Translation
but we speak the wisdom of Aloha in the mystery which was hidden, and which Aloha predetermined from before the worlds unto our glorification;

Murdock Translation
But we speak the wisdom of God, in a mystery; the wisdom which was hidden, and which God predetermined before the world was, for our glory:

King James Version (1611)
But wee speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie, euen the hidden wisedome which God ordeined before the world, vnto our glory.

New Life Bible
What we preach is God's wisdom. It was a secret until now. God planned for us to have this honor before the world began.

New Revised Standard
But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But we speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie, euen the hid wisedom, which God had determined before the world, vnto our glory.

George Lamsa Translation
But we discuss the wisdom of God shown in a mysterious way, and it is hidden, but which God ordained before the world for our glory:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But we speak, God's, wisdom, in a sacred secret, that hidden wisdom , which God marked out beforehand, before the ages, for our glory, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But we speake the wisedome of God in a misterie [euen] the hyd [wisedome] which God ordeyned before the worlde, vnto our glorie.

Good News Translation
The wisdom I proclaim is God's secret wisdom, which is hidden from human beings, but which he had already chosen for our glory even before the world was made.

Christian Standard Bible®
On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.

King James Version
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Lexham English Bible
but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory,

Literal Translation
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, having been hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,

Young's Literal Translation
but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a secret, that God foreordained before the ages to our glory,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but we speake of the wyssdome of God, which is in secrete and lyeth hyd: which God ordeyned before the worlde vnto oure glorye:

Mace New Testament (1729)
but we explain that mysterious plan of divine wisdom, which God had contriv'd before the ages, for our glory:

New English Translation
Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory.

New King James Version
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

Simplified Cowboy Version
Nope, this wisdom comes from the mystery of God himself. This secret has been hidden from the world for a long time but was finally revealed for our glory and his honor.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

Legacy Standard Bible
But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages to our glory,

Contextual Overview

⁶ 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. ⁷ No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. ⁸ But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. ⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. ¹² And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. ¹³ When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. ¹⁴ But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ¹⁵ Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

even: Psalms 78:2, Isaiah 48:6, Isaiah 48:7, Matthew 11:25, Matthew 13:35, Romans 16:25, Romans 16:26, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 3:4-9, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 1:11, Revelation 13:8

unto: 1 Peter 5:1, 1 Peter 5:10, 2 Peter 1:3

Reciprocal: Joshua 6:17 - accursed Job 28:21 - hid Job 32:9 - Great Proverbs 2:7 - layeth Proverbs 8:6 - for Jeremiah 33:3 - mighty Matthew 13:11 - mysteries Luke 8:10 - Unto Luke 10:21 - revealed John 3:12 - heavenly 1 Corinthians 4:1 - mysteries 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 1 Corinthians 15:51 - I show Ephesians 1:8 - in Ephesians 3:9 - beginning Ephesians 3:10 - manifold Ephesians 6:19 - the mystery 1 Timothy 3:16 - the mystery Hebrews 2:10 - glory James 3:15 - but James 3:17 - the wisdom

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The third branch, called the Tigris, flowed east of the land of Asshur. The fourth branch is called the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:15
The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

Genesis 2:20
He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

Genesis 2:21
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening.

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.

Genesis 7:22
Everything that breathed and lived on dry land died.

Numbers 16:22
But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. "O God," they pleaded, "you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Must you be angry with all the people when only one man sins?"

Numbers 27:16
"O Lord , you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.

Job 4:19
how much less will he trust people made of clay! They are made of dust, crushed as easily as a moth.

Job 27:3
As long as I live, while I have breath from God,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But we speak the wisdom of God,.... Not of men, not of the wise politicians, the learned philosophers and Rabbins; that which human wisdom has no hand in forming, nor in revealing, nor in propagating, and which is disliked and disapproved of by it: the Gospel is the sole produce of divine wisdom, and in which there is a glorious display of it; even in those doctrines which are the most charged with folly, as salvation by a crucified Christ, justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, satisfaction by his sacrifice, c.

in a mystery it is mysterious wisdom. The Gospel is full of mysteries; there is the mystery of God, of a trinity of persons in the divine essence; the mystery of Christ, of his person, as God manifest in the flesh, of his divine sonship, and incarnation in the womb of a virgin; the mystery of the Spirit's grace in regeneration, of the saints' union to Christ, and communion with him, the resurrection of the same body, the change of living saints at Christ's coming, with many others:

even the hidden wisdom; the Gospel lay hid in God, in the thoughts of his heart, in the deep things of his mind, the counsels of his will, and purposes of his grace; it was hid in Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it was hid under the types and shadows of the ceremonial law; and is hid in the Scriptures, which must be diligently searched for it, as for hidden treasures. It was hid from angels, and from Adam, until revealed; it was in some measure hid from the Jews under the former dispensation, to whom it was made known; and in some sense from believers, under the present dispensation, who as yet know it but in part; and is entirely hid from natural men, even from the most wise and prudent among them. This epithet expresses the preciousness, secrecy, and also security of the Gospel; hidden things being commonly of value, and being kept secret, are also safe; hidden and secret wisdom has been always esteemed, both by Greeks and Jews: hence that saying u of the latter,

"he that would be rich in learning of the law, שהיא צפונה

והחכמה "and that wisdom which is hidden", in a hidden and secret place, should hide and secrete himself from the children of men.''

The apostle adds,

which God ordained before the world. The Egyptians and Grecians boasted much of the "earliness" of their wisdom, but neither of them are to be mentioned with the Gospel for the antiquity of it; it is the birth of God's counsels of old, the produce of his purposes, which he purposed in Christ before the world was; a scheme of things he drew in his eternal mind; it is a transcript of the council of peace and covenant of grace, which were from everlasting; what the Jews w say of the law, is much more true of the Gospel,

"that it was treasured up with God (they say two thousand years, and sometimes nine hundred and seventy four ages), before the world was created;''

and often speak of it as one of the seven things created before the world was x. Moreover, this was to our glory; under the present dispensation, which by reason of the Gospel has a glory in it surpassing the former; it is to the glory both of the ministers of it, whose honour it is to be employed in preaching it, and in being by it the instruments of converting such who will be their glory another day, and to the glory of all believers who are by it called to the obtaining of the glory of Christ Jesus.

u Caphtor, fol. 81. w T. Bab. Zebacbim, fol. 116. 1. Zohar. in Exod. fol. 20. 4. & 35. 1, 2. & 66. 3. & in Numb. fol. 66. 3. x T. Bab. Pesachim. fol. 54. 1. Nedarim, fol. 39. 2. Zohar. in Lev. fol. 14. 4. Targum Jon. ben Uzziel in Gen. iii. 24.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But we speak - We who have preached the gospel.

The wisdom of God - We teach or proclaim the wise plan of God for the salvation of people; we make known the divine wisdom in regard to the scheme of human redemption. This plan was of God, in opposition to other plans which were of human beings.

In a mystery, even the hidden wisdom - ἐν μυστηρίῳ τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην en mustēriō tēn apokekrummenēn. The words “even” and “wisdom” in this translation have been supplied by our translators; and the sense would be more perspicuous if they were omitted, and the translation should be literally made, “We proclaim the divine wisdom hidden in a mystery.” The apostle does not say that their preaching was mysterious, nor that their doctrine was unintelligible, but he refers to the fact that this wisdom had been “hidden in a mystery” from people until that time, but was then revealed by the gospel. In other words, he does not say that what they then declared was hidden in a mystery, but that they made known the divine wisdom which had been concealed from the minds of people. The word “mystery” with us is commonly used in the sense of that which is beyond comprehension; and it is often applied to such doctrines as exhibit difficulties which we are not able to explain.

But this is not the sense in which it is commonly used in the Scriptures; see the note at Matthew 13:11; compare Campbell on the Gospels, Dissertation 9; part 1. The word properly denotes that which is “concealed” or “hidden;” that which has not yet been made known; and is applied to those truths which until the revelation of Jesus Christ were concealed from people, which were either hidden under obscure types and shadows or prophecies, or which had been altogether unrevealed, and unknown to the world. The word stands opposed to that which is revealed, not to that which is in itself plain. The doctrines to which the word relates may be in themselves clear and simple, but they are hidden in mystery until they are revealed. From this radical idea in the word “mystery,” however, it came also to be applied not only to those doctrines which had not been made known, but to those also which were in themselves deep and difficult to that which is enigmatical and obscure; 1 Corinthians 14:2; 1 Timothy 3:16.

It is applied also to the secret designs and purposes of God; Revelation 10:7. The word is most commonly applied by Paul to the secret and long concealed design of God to make known his gospel to the Gentiles; to break down the wall between them and the Jews; and to spread the blessings of the true religion everywhere; Romans 11:25; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:9; Ephesians 6:19. Here, it evidently means the beauty and excellency of the person and plans of Jesus Christ, but which were in fact unknown to the princes of this world. It does not imply, of necessity, that they could not have understood them, nor that they were unintelligible, but that, in fact, whatever was the cause, they were concealed from them. Paul says 1 Corinthians 2:8, that had they known his wisdom, they would not have crucified him - which implies at least that it was not in itself unintelligible; and he further says, that this mystery had been revealed to Christians by the Spirit of God, which proves that he does not here refer to that which is in itself unintelligible; 1 Corinthians 2:10. “The apostle has here especially in view the all-wise counsel of God for the salvation of people by Jesus Christ, in the writings of the Old Testament only obscurely signified, and to the generality of people utterly unknown” - Bloomfield.

Which God ordained - Which plan, so full of wisdom, God appointed in his own purpose before the foundation of the world; that is, it was a plan which from eternity he determined to execute. It was not a new device; it had not been got up to serve an occasion; but it was a plan laid deep in the eternal counsel of God, and on which he had his eye forever fixed. This passage proves, that God had a plan, and that this plan was eternal. This is all that is involved in the doctrine of eternal decrees or purposes. And if God had a plan about this, there is the same reason to think that he had a plan in regard to all things.

Unto our glory - In order that we might be honored or glorified. This may refer either to the honor which was put upon Christians in this life, in being admitted to the privileges of the sons of God; or more probably to that “eternal weight of glory” which remains for them in heaven; 2 Corinthians 4:17. One design of that plan was to raise the redeemed to “glory, and honor, and immortality.” It should greatly increase our gratitude to God, that it was a subject of eternal design; that he always has cherished this purpose; and that he has loved us with such love, and sought our happiness and salvation with such intensity, that in order to accomplish it, he was willing to give his own Son to die on a cross.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 2:7. The wisdom of God in a mystery — The GOSPEL of Jesus Christ, which had been comparatively hidden from the foundation of the world, (the settling of the Jewish economy, as this phrase often means,) though appointed from the beginning to be revealed in the fulness of time. For, though this Gospel was, in a certain sense, announced by the prophets, and prefigured by the law, yet it is certain that even the most intelligent of the Jewish rulers, their doctors, scribes, and Pharisees, had no adequate knowledge of it; therefore it was still a mystery to them and others, till it was so gloriously revealed by the preaching of the apostles.