17 (A)For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (B)not with [a]cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:17 I.e., persuasive rhetoric

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize,(A) but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom(B) and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

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Paul’s Reliance upon the Spirit

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I (A)did not come as someone superior in [a]speaking ability or [b]wisdom, as I proclaimed to you (B)the [c]testimony of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Lit speech
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or cleverness
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:1 One early ms mystery

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom(A) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery

13 We also speak these things, (A)not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, [a]combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual things for spiritual people

13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(A) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual