1 Corinthians 2 5

1 Corinthians 2:5 kjv

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5 nkjv

that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5 niv

so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.

1 Corinthians 2:5 esv

so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5 nlt

I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2 verses

1 Corinthians 2 5 Meaning

1 Corinthians 2:5 states that the purpose of Paul's ministry approach—one not characterized by persuasive human eloquence or philosophical argumentation—was to ensure that the faith of believers would not be established upon or find its foundation in human wisdom, but rather solely in the manifest power of God. This means genuine faith does not arise from human cleverness or persuasive words, but from God's own working.

1 Corinthians 2 5 Context

1 Corinthians chapter 2 stands within Paul's broader argument against worldly wisdom and boasts (Ch. 1), and his explanation for his humble preaching approach. The Corinthian church was grappling with divisions and worldly influences, including a high regard for sophisticated rhetoric and philosophical debates, prevalent in their Hellenistic society. Paul, therefore, intentionally chose not to rely on "lofty speech or wisdom" (v. 1) when he first came to them, but instead focused on "Christ and him crucified" (v. 2) presented with weakness and fear (v. 3). Verse 5 clarifies that this counter-cultural method of ministry had a direct spiritual purpose: to ensure their faith's authentic grounding in God's demonstrable power, not in persuasive human argument or intellectual appeal that might wither or prove shallow.

1 Corinthians 2 5 Word analysis

• that your faith (hina mē hê anapaúetai hē pístis hymōn):

  • hina (ἵνα): "In order that," introduces a purpose clause. Paul is explaining the divine intention behind his non-rhetorical ministry.
  • mē (μή): "Not," a negative particle, showing prevention.
  • hē (ἡ): The definite article, "the."
  • anapaúetai (ἀναπαύηται): From the verb anapauō (ἀναπαύω), meaning "to cause to rest, refresh, settle down, rely on, be established." It's in the present subjunctive, emphasizing a continuous state of reliance or being founded. This verb signifies where something finds its true basis or sustentation. Here, it denotes where their faith draws its ultimate strength and stands firm.
  • hē pístis hymōn (ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν): "Your faith." Refers to the trust, belief, and reliance of the Corinthian Christians on Christ. The origin and foundation of this faith is critical to Paul's argument.

• might not rest on (anapaúetai en):

  • The Greek preposition en (ἐν) means "in" or "upon," indicating the sphere or foundation upon which something rests.

• human wisdom (sophíā anthrópōn):

  • sophíā (σοφίᾳ): "Wisdom." In Hellenistic culture, this word often referred to philosophical knowledge, rhetorical skill, intellectual prowess, and worldly cleverness. Paul distinguishes this sharply from divine wisdom. Corinthian culture highly valued these attributes, and their church likely saw these as signs of spiritual authority or depth.
  • anthrópōn (ἀνθρώπων): "Of men/humans." This genitive specifies the source of the wisdom as human, emphasizing its limited, fallible, and earthbound nature, in direct contrast to God. This phrase stands as a direct polemic against the intellectual and oratorical ideals of the time, suggesting they are an insufficient and dangerous basis for Christian faith.

• but on (all’ en):

  • all’ (ἀλλ’): "But," a strong adversative conjunction, marking a sharp contrast and redirection. It signals the true, rightful foundation.
  • en (ἐν): Again, "in" or "upon," pointing to the correct foundation.

• God's power (dynámei Theoû):

  • dynámei (δυνάμει): "Power, strength, ability." This is the inherent, active, and supernatural might of God, capable of bringing about salvation, transformation, and miraculous manifestations. This dynamis is central to Paul's gospel (Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 1:18, 24). It's the active principle through which the Holy Spirit operates (Acts 1:8, 1 Th 1:5).
  • Theoû (Θεοῦ): "Of God." The genitive clarifies the divine source and nature of this power. It is not derived or shared but inherent to God alone. This is the legitimate and true foundation for faith.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "that your faith might not rest on human wisdom": This segment explicitly states Paul's purpose for foregoing persuasive speech. He saw the danger of their faith being built upon transient human cleverness, which would ultimately be unstable. If faith depended on eloquence, it could be undone by greater eloquence, or fail when logical arguments alone proved insufficient in the face of spiritual challenges.
  • "but on God's power": This phrase presents the divine alternative and the only sure foundation for genuine, enduring faith. It implies that true conversion and spiritual understanding do not come through clever argumentation, but through the Holy Spirit's conviction and God's sovereign work, demonstrated in the transformative power of the Gospel and sometimes through supernatural manifestations (healing, prophecy, etc.). This underscores God's omnipotence as the bedrock of belief.

1 Corinthians 2 5 Bonus section

The contrast between "human wisdom" and "God's power" in 1 Corinthians 2:5 directly challenges the natural human tendency to seek comfort or validation in what is visible, impressive, or logically appealing according to worldly standards. This verse emphasizes the supra-rational nature of true faith, not that it is irrational, but that its foundation lies beyond human intellectual grasp or capacity for demonstration. It implicitly calls for a posture of humility and dependence on God's sovereign work in salvation and sanctification, rather than self-reliance or reliance on human methods. It also suggests that God's power is often revealed precisely in weakness (as Paul demonstrated in 2 Cor 12:9-10), subverting human expectations of what is grand or impressive.

1 Corinthians 2 5 Commentary

1 Corinthians 2:5 encapsulates a foundational truth for Christian faith and ministry: its source is not human intellect or oratorical skill, but the manifest power of God. Paul consciously chose to preach "not with plausible words of wisdom" (v. 4) so that the Corinthian believers would recognize that their conviction was born of a divine work, not merely human persuasion. This guards against a superficial faith based on intellectual agreement or emotional response to skilled rhetoric. True faith, therefore, remains resilient because it relies on the unfailing, living power of the Almighty, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. It is a faith authenticated by spiritual transformation and God's own mighty working in lives, rather than by human cleverness. This serves as a perpetual reminder for believers to trust God's sovereign might and for ministers to rely on the Spirit's anointing rather than worldly methods or eloquent speeches alone.