1 Corinthians 2 11

1 Corinthians 2:11 kjv

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 nkjv

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 niv

For who knows a person's thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 esv

For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 nlt

No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2 verses

1 Corinthians 2 11 Meaning

This verse articulates a profound principle concerning knowledge: just as no one can fully comprehend the intimate thoughts and depths of a human being except that person's own spirit, so too no one can truly know the deepest thoughts, purposes, and wisdom of God except the Spirit of God Himself. It underscores that divine realities are uniquely understood and revealed only by God's own Holy Spirit, not by human intellect or worldly means.

1 Corinthians 2 11 Context

1 Corinthians 2 details Paul's method of evangelism and the source of true wisdom. The Corinthian believers were prone to valuing human eloquence and intellectual prowess, aligning with the philosophical currents of their Hellenistic culture. Paul contrasts this "wisdom of men" with the "wisdom of God," which is centered on "Christ crucified"—a message considered foolish by the world. Verse 9 sets the stage by proclaiming the profound, hidden truths God has prepared. Verse 10 declares that God has revealed these truths "to us through the Spirit." Verse 11 then provides the logical underpinning for how this revelation occurs, using a common analogy to illustrate that just as a person's inner spirit alone knows their deepest thoughts, so only God's Spirit knows God's deep truths. This verse serves as a crucial bridge, justifying the necessity of the Holy Spirit for spiritual discernment, preparing for the subsequent distinction between the "natural man" and the "spiritual man" and establishing that spiritual truth is exclusively apprehended by spiritual means, thereby countering any reliance on humanistic or philosophical wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2 11 Word analysis

• For what man: Greek anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος). Refers to any human being, male or female. This rhetorical question highlights a universal, undeniable truth from common human experience, setting up an illustrative parallel.
• knows: Greek oidens (οἶδεν). Implies an intimate, internal, and experiential knowledge, a deep grasp of something rather than mere intellectual acquaintance. It suggests intuitive understanding and complete comprehension.
• the things of a man: Greek ta tou anthrōpou (τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου). This idiom refers to the hidden, innermost thoughts, motives, intentions, and profound realities of a person's consciousness and being. It denotes internal privacy.
• save the spirit of a man: Greek ei mē to pneuma tou anthrōpou (εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἀνθρώpou). "Save" or "except" stresses exclusivity. Pneuma here denotes the non-physical, immaterial core of a human, the conscious, self-aware essence where thought originates. It underscores that true self-knowledge is inherently private and internal.
• which is in him: Reinforces the immanent, inherent, and exclusive nature of a person's unique access to their own innermost thoughts.
• even so: Greek houtōs kai (οὕτως καί). A strong comparative adverbial phrase that draws a precise, parallel conclusion. It means "in the same way" or "likewise," signaling that the established principle for human knowledge directly applies to divine knowledge.
• the things of God: Greek ta tou Theou (τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ). Analogous to "the things of a man," this refers to God's deepest and most profound truths, His ultimate plans, eternal purposes, unfathomable wisdom, and divine counsel—often described as "the depths of God" in the preceding verse.
• knows no man: Emphatic negation. This highlights human incapacity to grasp God's ultimate truths through independent effort. It challenges intellectual pride and human attempts to discern divine mysteries without divine aid.
• but the Spirit of God: Greek ei mē to Pneuma tou Theou (εἰ μὴ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ). The exclusive subject of divine knowledge. This refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is inherently and eternally God, possessing complete and perfect knowledge of God's every thought and being.
• Word-Group Analysis:
  • "For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of a man": This initial clause establishes a self-evident analogy. The use of pneuma for "spirit of a man" and "Spirit of God" underscores the structural parallelism and functional similarity: internal essence (be it human or divine) holds unique access to internal realities.
  • "even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God": This applies the logic from the human realm to the divine. The rhetorical houtōs kai ("even so") strongly links the two parts of the verse, arguing that just as self-knowledge is exclusive to one's own spirit, knowledge of God's essence and "things" is exclusive to God's Spirit. It is a powerful affirmation that revelation, rather than human discovery, is the sole pathway to truly understanding God.

1 Corinthians 2 11 Bonus section

The structure of this verse is a classic A-B, A'-B' parallelism, where A (man) relates to B (spirit of man), and A' (God) relates to B' (Spirit of God). This rhetorical device makes the argument clear and forceful. Furthermore, this verse sets the stage for distinguishing between the "natural man" (v. 14), who lacks the Spirit of God and therefore cannot comprehend spiritual things, and the "spiritual man" (v. 15), who, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, has the capacity to discern and understand God's truths. This is crucial for understanding Paul's entire argument about spiritual discernment and the fundamental difference between human wisdom and divine wisdom. It implies that true understanding of the Gospel and spiritual life is not merely an intellectual exercise but requires a divine enabling, a spiritual regeneration that gives one the "mind of Christ."

1 Corinthians 2 11 Commentary

1 Corinthians 2:11 serves as a cornerstone for Paul's teaching on spiritual wisdom. By using a relatable human analogy, Paul brilliantly demonstrates the necessary precondition for understanding divine truths. Just as no one truly understands the profound internal workings of a person except that person's own spirit, so too, God's infinite wisdom, His mysterious plans, and His deep truths are entirely beyond human comprehension without His direct revelation. This revelation comes exclusively through the Holy Spirit. This verse dismantles any notion of human self-sufficiency in knowing God; one cannot intellectually reason, philosophically deduce, or naturally discover the "things of God." Spiritual understanding is not an achievement of human cleverness but a divine impartation. The Holy Spirit, being fully God, alone perfectly knows the mind of God and acts as the divine agent who illuminates these realities to believers, making the profound mysteries of God accessible and comprehensible to the human spirit.