1 Corinthians 2:12-14

2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. 2:13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. ¹  2:14 The unbeliever ²  does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:2

2:2 For I decided to be concerned about nothing ³  among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Colossians 2:14

2:14 He has destroyed ⁴  what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness ⁵  expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

Colossians 4:6

4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

Galatians 1:15-16

1:15 But when the one ⁶  who set me apart from birth ⁷  and called me by his grace was pleased 1:16 to reveal his Son in ⁸  me so that I could preach him ⁹  among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from ¹⁰  any human being, ¹¹ 

[2:13]  ¹ tn Or “combining spiritual things with spiritual words” (i.e., words the Spirit gives, as just described).

[2:14]  ² tn Grk “natural person.” Cf. BDAG 1100 s.v. ψυχικός a, “an unspiritual pers., one who merely functions bodily, without being touched by the Spirit of God.”

[2:2]  ³ tn Grk “to know nothing.”

[2:14]  ⁴ tn The participle ἐξαλείψας (exaleiyas) is a temporal adverbial participle of contemporaneous time related to the previous verb συνεζωοποίησεν (sunezwopoihsen), but has been translated as a finite verb because of the complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences. For the meaning “destroy” see BDAG 344-45 s.v. ἐξαλείφω 2.

[2:14]  ⁵ tn On the translation of χειρόγραφον (ceirografon), see BDAG 1083 s.v. which refers to it as “a certificate of indebtedness.”

[1:15]  ⁶ tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

[1:15]  ⁷ tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”

[1:16]  ⁸ tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.

[1:16]  ⁹ tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.

[1:16]  ¹⁰ tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.

[1:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”