📖WEB · 1 Corinthians 2:6
What does 1 Corinthians 2:6 mean?
"We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing."
— 1 Corinthians 2:6 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.
But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,
which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, “Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”
Explanation
In this verse, Paul is telling the Corinthian believers that he and his fellow apostles do, in fact, speak wisdom—but only among those he calls "full grown," meaning spiritually mature believers who are ready to receive deeper understanding. This wisdom, however, is not the kind of wisdom the world prizes: it isn't clever rhetoric, philosophical sophistication, or political savvy. It is a different category altogether, one that has nothing to do with the passing power structures of the age, structures Paul says are already "coming to nothing"—destined to fade away and lose their significance.
To understand this verse rightly, you need the context of the whole letter. The church in Corinth was deeply impressed by eloquence, status, and worldly wisdom. Some members were dividing into factions based on which teacher's rhetorical style or apparent wisdom they preferred. In chapters 1 and 2, Paul contrasts his preaching—centered on "Christ crucified," which seemed foolish to the world—with the wisdom Greek culture admired. He reminds them that he came to them not with impressive words but in weakness and fear (2:1-5), so that their faith would rest on God's power, not human cleverness. Having established that point, in verse 6 Paul clarifies that this doesn't mean there is no wisdom in the Christian message. There is real wisdom, but it operates on a completely different plane than the wisdom of "rulers of this age"—likely referring to both political authorities and the spiritual forces behind worldly systems, all of which are temporary and doomed
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