I Corinthians 2:12
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We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
we . . . received, not . . . spirit of . . . world--the personal evil "spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2). This spirit is natural in the unregenerate, and needs not to be received. Spirit which is of God--that is, which comes from God. We have received it only by the gift of God, whose Spirit it is, whereas our own spirit is the spirit that is in us men (Co1 2:11). that we might know . . . things . . . freely given . . . of God--present experimental knowledge, to our unspeakable comfort, of His deep mysteries of wisdom, and of our future possession of the good "things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (Co1 2:9).
Open source ↗The apostle proceeds with his argument in this chapter, and, I. Reminds the Corinthians of the plain manner wherein he delivered the gospel to them (Co1 2:1-5). But yet, II. Shows them that he had communicated to them a treasure of the truest and highest wisdom, such as exceeded all the attainments of learned men, such as could never have entered into the heart of man if it had not been revealed, nor can be received and improved to salvation but by the light and influence of that Spirit who revealed it (Co1 2:6 to the end).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.
You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you,
Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.