Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 2:16

What does 1 Corinthians 2:16 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 2:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 2:16 means

Paul concludes by asking, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?” The implied answer is: no one. God’s wisdom is beyond human correction. Yet he immediately adds, “But we have the mind of Christ.” United to Christ and indwelt by the Spirit, believers share in Christ’s perspective sufficiently to grasp and live by God’s revealed wisdom. This does not make Christians infallible; it means they are brought into real understanding of God’s purposes centered in the crucified and risen Lord. The church’s confidence, therefore, is not in human cleverness but in participation in the Messiah’s mind by the Spirit.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For who has knowledge of the mind of the Lord, so as to be his teacher? But we have the mind of Christ.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for who did know the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct Him? and we--we have the mind of Christ.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For who has known the mind of [the] Lord, who shall instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Context

Verse 16 seals the argument. Having contrasted worldly eloquence with Spirit-revealed wisdom, and natural inability with spiritual discernment, Paul grounds the believer’s capacity: they share the mind of Christ. This answers Corinth’s fascination with human teachers by locating true wisdom in union with Jesus. The chapter closes by circling back to its beginning—Paul’s ministry aimed to rest faith on God’s power and wisdom, which are given and discerned through Christ’s Spirit, not manufactured by rhetoric.

v.15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man.

v.16This passage

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 11:34

    For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

  • John 15:15

    No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you.

  • Job 40:2

    Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty? He that argueth with God, let him answer it.

  • John 16:13

    Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.

  • Jeremiah 23:18

    For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it?

  • Ephesians 3:3

    how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words,

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