2When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony ^bof God to you, I did not come with brilliance ^cof speech ^dor wisdom. ²For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ^e³I came to you in weakness, ^fin fear, ^gand in much trembling. ^h⁴My speech ⁱand my proclamation were not with persuasive ^jwords of wisdom ^kbut with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, ⁵so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power. ^l

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Footnotes

b2:1 Other read mystery
k2:4 Other read human wisdom

Cross references

c2:1 1Tm 2:2
d2:1 Col 4:6
e2:2 1Co 1:23–24; Gl 6:14
f2:3 2Co 11:30
g2:3 Rv 11:11
h2:3 Php 2:12
i2:4 Mt 12:37
j2:4 Php 1:25
l2:5 Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; 2Tm 1:7; Rv 11:17

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.

NLTNew Living Translation

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling, and my speech and my preaching were not with the persuasiveness of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

KJV 1900King James Version

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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