But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Parallel translations
- WEB But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,
- BSB No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
- NKJV But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,
- NASB but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;
- NLT No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul speaks God's hidden wisdom, a mystery ordained before time for the believers' glory. God's saving plan was His eternal purpose, now revealed in the gospel.
Overview
The 'mystery' is God's plan of salvation in Christ, once hidden but now disclosed to believers. God 'foreordained' it 'before the worlds,' showing redemption was His eternal intention, not an afterthought. This wisdom aims at 'our glory,' the believers' final exaltation with Christ, a destiny the world's wisdom could never conceive.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Col 1:26–27Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
- 2 Pet 1:3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
- Rom 16:25–26Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
- Ps 78:2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
- Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
- Matt 13:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
- 1 Pet 5:10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
- Eph 3:4–9Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
- Eph 1:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
- 2 Tim 1:9Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
- Rev 13:8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
- Isa 48:6–7Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
- 1 Pet 1:11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
- 1 Pet 5:1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 2:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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