Bible / 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2
World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision, the traditional Catholic English Bible. About the translations
1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. Fathers
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 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. Fathers
7 But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory, CCC
8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory. CCC
9 But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.” CCC · Fathers
10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. CCC
11 For who among men 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 God’s Spirit. CCC
12 But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. CCC
13 We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. CCC
14 Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him; and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned. CCC · Fathers
15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is to be judged by no one. CCC · Fathers
16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he should instruct him?” But we have Christ’s mind.
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ. Fathers
2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ: and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power:
5 That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
6 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. Fathers
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory: CCC
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew. For if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. CCC
9 But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard: neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. CCC · Fathers
10 But to us God hath revealed them by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. CCC
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God, no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God. CCC
12 Now, we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God: that we may know the things that are given us from God. CCC
13 Which things also we speak: not in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. CCC
14 But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God. For it is foolishness to him: and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined. CCC · Fathers
15 But the spiritual man judgeth all things: and he himself is judged of no man. CCC · Fathers
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
Read the Fathers
“Justly, therefore, did the apostle call all such "carnal" and "animal,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Fathers
“For [they allege] that the truth was not delivered by means of written documents, but vivâ voce: wherefore also Paul declared, "But we speak wisdom among those that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“For this reason does the apostle declare, "We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1998 “This vocation to eternal life is supernatural. It depends entirely on God's gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself.…”
Read the Catechism
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1027 “This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of…”
- CCC 1998 “This vocation to eternal life is supernatural. It depends entirely on God's gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself.…”
“For [the Scripture] saith, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He hath prepared for them that wait for Him.”
Quoted in First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96), Chapter XXXIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… is eternal and never shall be quenched, and looked forward with the eyes of their heart to those good things which are laid up for such as endure; things "which ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man,”
Quoted in The Martyrdom of Polycarp, The Church of Smyrna (c. AD 156), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“… the resurrection of the just, and fulfils the promises for the kingdom of His Son; subsequently bestowing in a paternal manner those things which neither the eye has seen, nor the ear has heard, nor has [thought concerning them] arisen within the heart of man,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2038 “In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2038 “In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2038 “In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 2038 “In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the…”
“Justly, therefore, did the apostle call all such "carnal" and "animal,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 2038 “In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the…”
“… truly receiving the Spirit of God, who was from the beginning, in all the dispensations of God, present with mankind, and announced things future, revealed things present, and narrated things past – [such a man] does indeed "judge all men, but is himself judged by no man.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
“He therefore (i.e., the spiritual man) sifts and tries them all, but he himself is tried by no man:”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1