Paul’s Message by the Spirit’s Power

1AND I, when I came to you, brethren, came not with superior excellence of discourse or wisdom, preaching unto you the gospel of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And in weakness, and in fear, and in much timidity, was I among you. 4And my conversation and my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power: 5that your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom
(Ephesians 1:15–23)

6But we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are destroying themselves: 7but we speak the wisdom of God, which had been hid in mystery, which God predestined before the worlds were, for our glory: 8which none of the rulers of this world have known: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9But, as it is written, ?The things which eye hath not seen, and ear hath not heard, and that have not entered into the heart of man, these hath God prepared for those who love him.?

10But to us hath God revealed them by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth out all things, even the depths of God. 11For who among men knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? so also the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in discourses framed by human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit of God; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are folly to him: and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But the spiritual man discerneth indeed all things, though himself is discernible by no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord? who will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.