Paul's Message, the Spirit's Power

1And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God. 2For I determined not to know anything 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 were not in persuasive words of 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.

Wisdom from the Spirit of God

6Howbeit 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: 7but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8which none of the rulers of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:

9but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.

10But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12But we 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 by God. 13Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.