1 Corinthians 2:15
in 1 Corinthians 2The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man.
KJV
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 2
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But he that is spiritual - The man who is enlightened by the Holy Spirit in contradistinction from him who is under the influence of the senses only. Judgeth - Greek: “Discerns.” (margin); the same word as in the previous verse. It means that the spiritual man has a discernment of these truths in regard to which the sensual man was blind and ignorant.
This site's exposition
But the natural man receiveth not
on 1 Corinthians 2:14-15
The natural man, psychikos, the soul-governed person without the Spirit, receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, and cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned, a limitation of capacity rather than mere unwillingness. The spiritual man, pneumatikos, by contrast judgeth all things, evaluating rightly what the natural man cannot access at all, and is himself judged of no man, meaning no unspiritual critic is equipped to overturn his discernment. The bench reads this pair as the letter's clearest statement that spiritual truth requires spiritual equipment to be received, a claim that resurfaces when the letter reaches the gifts of the Spirit in chapters twelve through fourteen.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Who can condemn a man who tells the truth? When such a person states that all the enemies of the faith regard falsehoods as true, their accusations are reduced to nothing because they are condemned by the judgment of the truth.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.11.44-45 · Written before 253.
proposed
The spiritual man is able to judge everything, whether it is Greek or barbarian, wise or foolish. He cannot be judged by anyone because of the depth of his understanding and his responses.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 179 · Written before 458.
proposed
The person who has received the Spirit's gift is equipped to teach others. Otherwise what he says is of no value at all.
Next, pursuing his contrast, he states the cause of this, saying, "he knoweth not because they are spiritually discerned:" i.e. the things asserted require faith, and to apprehend them by reasonings is not possible, for their magnitude exceeds by a great deal the meanness of our understanding. Wherefore he saith, "but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." For he that has sight, beholds himself all things that appertain to the man that has no sight; but no sightless person discerns what the other is about. So also in the case before us, our own matters and those of unbelievers, all of them we for our part know; but ours, they know not henceforth any more. We know what is the nature of things present, what the dignity of things to come; and what some day shall become of the world when this state of things shall be no more, and what sinners shall suffer, and the righteous shall enjoy. And that things present are nothing worth, we both know, and their meanness we expose; (for to "discern" is also to expose;) and that the things to come are immortal and immoveable. All these things are known to the spiritual man; and what the natural man shall suffer when he is departed into that world; and what the faithful shall enjoy when he hath fulfilled his journey from this: none of which are known to the natural man. Wherefore also, subjoining a plain demonstration of what had been affirmed, he saith, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." That is to say, the things which are in the mind of Christ, these we know, even the very things which He willeth and hath revealed. For since he had said, "the Spirit had revealed them;" lest any one should set aside the Son, he subjoins that Christ also shewed us these things. […]
...he who is truly spiritual will interpret by pointing out, in regard to every one of the things which have been spoken, to what special point in the dispensation of the Lord is referred, and [by thus exhibiting] the entire system of the work of the Son of God, knowing always the same God, and always acknowledging the same Word of God, although He has [but] now been manifested to us; acknowledging also at all times the same Spirit of God, although He has been poured out upon us after a new fashion in these last times, [knowing that He descends] even from the creation of the world to its end upon the human race simply as such, from whom those who believe God and follow His word receive that salvation which flows from Him.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
The spiritual man, he says, knows all things; he knows that everything here is temporary, while the future is permanent; he knows that he will receive salvation, and that the unfaithful will be punished. Therefore he also exposes them, "yet he himself is judged by …
Then when he says, But the spiritual man, he gives the reason why spiritual things are imparted to spiritual men. First, he gives the reason; secondly, he clarifies it (v. 16). The reason given is this: Spiritual things should be entrusted to one who can …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Or, (2.) He that is spiritual (who has had divine revelations made to him, receives them as such, and founds his faith and religion upon them) can judge both of common things and things divine; he can discern what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the gospel and of salvation, and whether a man preaches the truths of God or not.
Discerneth all the things of God whereof we have been speaking. Yet he himself is discerned by no man - No natural men. They neither understand what he is, nor what he says.
But he that is spiritual,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"Discerneth . . . is discerned," would better accord with the translation of the same Greek (1Co 2:14). Otherwise for "discerned," in 1Co 2:14, translate, "judged of," to accord with the translation, "judgeth . . . is judged" in this fifteenth verse. He has a practical insight into the verities of the Gospel, though he is not infallible on all theoretical points.
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things - He who has the mind of Christ discerns and judges of all things spiritual: yet he himself is not discerned by the mere animal man. Some suppose that the word ανακρινεται should be understood thus: He examines, scrutinizes, convinces, reproves, which it appears to mean in 1Co 14:24; and they read the verse thus: The spiritual man - the well-taught Christian, convinces, i.e. can easily convict, all men, (παντα, accusing), every animal man, of error and vice; yet he himself is convicted of no man; his mind is enlightened, and his life is holy; and therefore the animal man cannot convict him of sin. This is a good sense, but the first appears the most natural. See Pearce and Rosenmuller.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | He who [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πνευματικὸς | pneumatikos | spiritual | G4152 → | 26 times |
| ἀνακρίνει | anakrinei | judges | G350 → | 16 times |
| τὰ | ta | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πάντα, | panta | all things | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| αὐτὸς | autos | he himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑπ᾽ | hup᾽ | by | G5259 → | 219 times |
| οὐδενὸς | oudenos | no [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| ἀνακρίνεται. | anakrinetai | is judged. | G350 → | 16 times |
ὁHe who [is]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
πνευματικὸςspiritual
pneumatikosG4152 →26 times
ἀνακρίνειjudges
anakrineiG350 →16 times
τὰ<the>
taG3588 →19766 times
πάντα,all things
pantaG3956 →1235 times
αὐτὸςhe himself
autosG846 →5565 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑπ᾽by
hup᾽G5259 →219 times
οὐδενὸςno [one]
oudenosG3762 →232 times
ἀνακρίνεται.is judged.
anakrinetaiG350 →16 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 John 4:1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- 2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
- Proverbs 14:15
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Through
1 Thessalonians 5:21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- 1 John 4:1
Through
Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:14–15
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14–15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; Irenaeus, Against Heresies (Book IV, Chapter 33); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 7; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.11.44-45; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 179; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.