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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 2:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
1Co 2:1	Strong Concordance	And I [2504], brethren [80], when I came [2064] to [4314] you [5209], came [2064] not [3756] with [2596] excellency [5247] of speech [3056] or [2228] of wisdom [4678], declaring [2605] unto you [5213] the testimony [3142] of God [2316].
	King James	And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
PAUL'S SUBJECT OF PREACHING, CHRIST CRUCIFIED, NOT IN WORLDLY, BUT IN HEAVENLY, WISDOM AMONG THE PERFECT. (1Co. 2:1-16) And I--"So I" [CONYBEARE] as one of the "foolish, weak, and despised" instruments employed by God (Co1 1:27-28); "glorying in the Lord," not in man's wisdom (Co1 1:31). Compare Co1 1:23, "We." when I came-- (Act 18:1, &c.). Paul might, had he pleased, have used an ornate style, having studied secular learning at Tarsus of Cilicia, which STRABO preferred as a school of learning to Athens or Alexandria; here, doubtless, he read the Cilician Aratus' poems (which he quotes, Act 17:28), and Epimenides (Tit 1:12), and Menander (Co1 15:33). Grecian intellectual development was an important element in preparing the way for the Gospel, but it failed to regenerate the world, showing that for this a superhuman power is needed. Hellenistic (Grecizing) Judaism at Tarsus and Alexandria was the connecting link between the schools of Athens and those of the Rabbis. No more fitting birthplace could there have been for the apostle of the Gentiles than Tarsus, free as it was from the warping influences of Rome, Alexandria, and Athens. He had at the same time Roman citizenship, which protected him from sudden violence. Again, he was reared in the Hebrew divine law at Jerusalem. Thus, as the three elements, Greek cultivation, Roman polity (Luk 2:1), and the divine law given to the Jews, combined just at Christ's time, to prepare the world for the Gospel, so the same three, by God's marvellous providence, met together in the apostle to the Gentiles [CONYBEARE and HOWSON]. testimony of God--"the testimony of Christ" (Co1 1:6); therefore Christ is God.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

PAUL'S SUBJECT OF PREACHING, CHRIST CRUCIFIED, NOT IN WORLDLY, BUT IN HEAVENLY, WISDOM AMONG THE PERFECT. (1Co. 2:1-16)

And I--"So I" [CONYBEARE] as one of the "foolish, weak, and despised" instruments employed by God (Co1 1:27-28); "glorying in the Lord," not in man's wisdom (Co1 1:31). Compare Co1 1:23, "We."

when I came-- (Act 18:1, &c.). Paul might, had he pleased, have used an ornate style, having studied secular learning at Tarsus of Cilicia, which STRABO preferred as a school of learning to Athens or Alexandria; here, doubtless, he read the Cilician Aratus' poems (which he quotes, Act 17:28), and Epimenides (Tit 1:12), and Menander (Co1 15:33). Grecian intellectual development was an important element in preparing the way for the Gospel, but it failed to regenerate the world, showing that for this a superhuman power is needed. Hellenistic (Grecizing) Judaism at Tarsus and Alexandria was the connecting link between the schools of Athens and those of the Rabbis. No more fitting birthplace could there have been for the apostle of the Gentiles than Tarsus, free as it was from the warping influences of Rome, Alexandria, and Athens. He had at the same time Roman citizenship, which protected him from sudden violence. Again, he was reared in the Hebrew divine law at Jerusalem. Thus, as the three elements, Greek cultivation, Roman polity (Luk 2:1), and the divine law given to the Jews, combined just at Christ's time, to prepare the world for the Gospel, so the same three, by God's marvellous providence, met together in the apostle to the Gentiles [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].

testimony of God--"the testimony of Christ" (Co1 1:6); therefore Christ is God.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And I, brethren - Keeping up the tender and affectionate style of address. When I came unto you - When I came at first to preach the gospel at Corinth. Act 18:1 ff. Came not with excellency of speech - Came not with graceful and attractive eloquence. The apostle here evidently alludes to that nice ant studied choice of language; to those gracefully formed sentences, and to that skill of arrangement in discourse and argument which was so much an object of regard with the Greek rhetoricians. It is probable that Paul was never much distinguished for these (compare Co2 10:10), and it is certain he never made them an object of intense study and solicitude. Compare Co1 2:4, Co1 2:13. Or of wisdom - Of the wisdom of this world; of that kind of wisdom which was sought and cultivated in Greece. The testimony of God - The testimony or the witnessing which God has borne to the gospel of Christ by miracles, and by attending it everywhere with his presence and blessing. In Co1 2:6, the gospel is called "the testimony of Christ;" and here it may either mean the witness which the gospel bears to the true character and plans of God; or the witnessing which God had borne to the gospel by miracles, etc. The gospel contains the testimony of God in regard to his own character and plans; especially in regard to the great plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Several mss. instead of "testimony of God," here read "the mystery of God." This would accord well with the scope of the argument; but the present reading is probably the correct one. See Mill. The Syriac version has also "mystery."

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
With excellency (καθ ὑπεροχὴν) Lit., according to elevation or superiority. The noun occurs only here and Ti1 2:2, where it is rendered authority. The phrase expresses the mode of his preaching. For similar adverbial phrases, see καθ ὑπερβολήν exceedingly or according to excess, Rom 8:13; κατὰ κράτος mightily or according to might, Act 19:20. Construe with declaring. Declaring (καταγγέλλων) Rev., proclaiming. See on Jo1 1:5; see on Act 17:23. Authoritative proclamation is implied. The word is found only in the Acts and in Paul. Testimony (μαρτύριον) Some of the best texts read μυστήριον mystery. So Rev. See on Rom 11:25.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And I accordingly came to you, not with loftiness of speech or of wisdom - I did not affect either deep wisdom or eloquence. Declaring the testimony of God - What God gave me to testify concerning his Son.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, Co1 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.

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⁶ Even as [2531] the testimony [3142] of Christ [5547] was confirmed [950] in [1722] you [5213]:

¹ And [1161] it came to pass [1096] in [1722] those [1565] days [2250], that there went out [1831] a decree [1378] from [3844] Caesar [2541] Augustus [828], that all [3956] the world [3625] should be taxed [583].

³³ Be [4105] not [3361] deceived [4105]: evil [2556] communications [3657] corrupt [5351] good [5543] manners [2239].

¹² One [5100] of [1537] themselves [846], even a prophet [4396] of their [846] own [2398], said [2036], The Cretians [2912] are alway [104] liars [5583], evil [2556] beasts [2342], slow [692] bellies [1064].

²⁸ For [1063] in [1722] him [846] we live [2198], and [2532] move [2795], and [2532] have our being [2070]; as [5613] certain [5100] also [2532] of your [5209] own [2596] poets [4163] have said [2046], For [1063] we are [2070] also [2532] his [5120] offspring [1085].

¹ [1161] After [3326] these things [5023] Paul [3972] departed [5563] from [1537] Athens [116], and came [2064] to [1519] Corinth [2882];

²³ But [1161] we [2249] preach [2784] Christ [5547] crucified [4717], unto the Jews [2453] a stumblingblock [3303] [4625], and [1161] unto the Greeks [1672] foolishness [3472];

³¹ That [2443], according as [2531] it is written [1125], He that glorieth [2744], let him glory [2744] in [1722] the Lord [2962].

²⁷ But [235] God [2316] hath chosen [1586] the foolish things [3474] of the world [2889] to [2443] confound [2617] the wise [4680]; and [2532] God [2316] hath chosen [1586] the weak things [772] of the world [2889] to [2443] confound [2617] the things which are mighty [2478];
²⁸ And [2532] base things [36] of the world [2889], and [2532] things which are despised [1848], hath [1586] God [2316] chosen [1586], yea, and [2532] things which [3588] are [5607] not [3361], to [2443] bring to nought [2673] things that are [5607]:

⁶ Howbeit [1161] we speak [2980] wisdom [4678] among [1722] them that are perfect [5046]: yet [1161] not [3756] the wisdom [4678] of this [5127] world [165], nor [3761] of the princes [758] of this [5127] world [165], that come to nought [2673]:

¹³ Which things [3739] also [2532] we speak [2980], not [3756] in [1722] the words [3056] which man's [442] wisdom [4678] teacheth [1318], but [235] which the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] teacheth [1722] [1318]; comparing [4793] spiritual things [4152] with spiritual [4152].

⁴ And [2532] my [3450] speech [3056] and [2532] my [3450] preaching [2782] was not [3756] with [1722] enticing [3981] words [3056] of man's [442] wisdom [4678], but [235] in [1722] demonstration [585] of the Spirit [4151] and [2532] of power [1411]:

¹⁰ For [3754] his letters [1992] [3303], say they [5346], are weighty [926] and [2532] powerful [2478]; but [1161] his bodily [4983] presence [3952] is weak [772], and [2532] his speech [3056] contemptible [1848].

¹ [1161] After [3326] these things [5023] Paul [3972] departed [5563] from [1537] Athens [116], and came [2064] to [1519] Corinth [2882];

²⁵ For [1063] I would [2309] not [3756], brethren [80], that ye [5209] should be ignorant [50] of this [5124] mystery [3466], lest [3363] ye should be [5600] wise [5429] in [3844] your own conceits [1438]; that [3754] blindness [4457] in [575] part [3313] is happened [1096] to Israel [2474], until [891] [3739] the fulness [4138] of the Gentiles [1484] be come in [1525].

²³ For [1063] as I passed by [1330], and [2532] beheld [333] your [5216] devotions [4574], [2532] I found [2147] an altar [1041] with this [1722] [3739] inscription [1924], TO THE UNKNOWN [57] GOD [2316]. Whom [3739] therefore [3767] ye ignorantly [50] worship [2151], him [5126] declare [2605] I [1473] unto you [5213].

⁵ This [3778] then [2532] is [2076] the message [1860] which [3739] we have heard [191] of [575] him [846], and [2532] declare [312] unto you [5213], that [3754] God [2316] is [2076] light [5457], and [2532] in [1722] him [846] is [2076] no [3756] darkness [4653] at all [3762].

²⁰ So [3779] mightily [2596] [2904] grew [837] the word [3056] of God [2962] and [2532] prevailed [2480].

¹³ For [1063] if [1487] ye live [2198] after [2596] the flesh [4561], ye shall [3195] die [599]: but [1161] if [1487] ye [2289] through the Spirit [4151] do mortify [2289] the deeds [4234] of the body [4983], ye shall live [2198].

² For [5228] kings [935], and [2532] for all [3956] that are [5607] in [1722] authority [5247]; that [2443] we may lead [1236] a quiet [2263] and [2532] peaceable [2272] life [979] in [1722] all [3956] godliness [2150] and [2532] honesty [4587].

¹⁷ For [1063] Christ [5547] sent [649] me [3165] not [3756] to baptize [907], but [235] to preach the gospel [2097]: not [3756] with [1722] wisdom [4678] of words [3056], lest [3363] the cross [4716] of Christ [5547] should be made of none effect [2758].