1 Corinthians 2:6

Wisdom from God

2:6 Now we do speak wisdom among the mature, ¹  but not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are perishing.

1 Corinthians 1:20

1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? ²  Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish?

1 Corinthians 2:7-8

2:7 Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God determined before the ages for our glory. 2:8 None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1 Corinthians 3:18

3:18 Guard against self-deception, each of you. ³  If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise.

1 Corinthians 8:13

8:13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them ⁴  to sin.

1 Corinthians 10:11

10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

¹ tn In extrabiblical literature this word was applied to an initiate of a mystery religion (BDAG 995 s.v. τέλειος 3, gives numerous examples and states this was a technical term of the mystery religions). It could here refer to those who believed Paul’s message, the mystery of God (v. 1), and so be translated as “those who believe God’s message.”

² tn Grk “the scribe.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the Mosaic law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

³ tn Grk “let no one deceive himself.”

⁴ tn Grk “my brother.” Both “my brother or sister” earlier in the verse and “one of them” here translate the same Greek phrase. Since the same expression occurs in the previous line, a pronoun phrase is substituted here to suit English style, which is less tolerant of such repetition.