I didn’t preach my message with clever and compelling words. Instead, my preaching showed the Holy Spirit’s power.

我说的话、讲的道，不是用智慧委婉的言语，乃是用圣灵和大能的明证，

我说的话、讲的道不是用委婉智慧的言语，而是以圣灵的大能来证明，

我说的话、讲的道不是用委婉智慧的言语，而是以圣灵的大能来证明，

我说话、讲道不是靠充满智慧的雄辩之词，而是靠圣灵的能力作明证，

我说的话、讲的道，都不是用智慧的话去说服人，而是用圣灵和能力来证明，

我说话、我传道，不是藉着有智慧的说服性的话语，而是藉着圣灵和大能的明证，

我說的話、講的道，不是用智慧委婉的言語，乃是用聖靈和大能的明證，

我說的話、講的道不是用委婉智慧的言語，而是以聖靈的大能來證明，

我說的話、講的道不是用委婉智慧的言語，而是以聖靈的大能來證明，

我說話、講道不是靠充滿智慧的雄辯之詞，而是靠聖靈的能力作明證，

我說的話、講的道，都不是用智慧的話去說服人，而是用聖靈和能力來證明，

我的話語和我宣傳的、又不是用委婉動聽的智慧話語，乃是用屬靈之實證、即能力之實證，

我說話、我傳道，不是藉著有智慧的說服性的話語，而是藉著聖靈和大能的明證，

且所語所宣、不在智之婉言、惟在神與能之闡明、

吾不以私智婉言、惟以聖神之良能傳道、

且我講論宣傳、非以人智之婉言而辯、乃以聖神之大能而證、

蓋予之談吐及論道、非恃人智之巧言妙語、惟恃神力之明徵、

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,

and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit,

And my speech and my preaching[ was] not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

My conversation and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk. It is a matter of power.

Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to preach the good news. He commanded me not to preach with wisdom and fancy words. That would take all the power away from the cross of Christ.

Our good news didn’t come to you only in words. It came with power. It came with the Holy Spirit’s help. He gave us complete faith in what we were preaching. You know how we lived among you for your good.

He has given me power to do signs and wonders. I can do these things by the power of the Spirit of God. From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum I have finished preaching. In those places, I preached the good news about Christ.

That is what we speak about. We don’t use words taught to us by people. We use words taught to us by the Holy Spirit. We use the words taught by the Spirit to explain spiritual truths.

And this was the way it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I didn’t come with fancy words or human wisdom. I preached to you the truth about God’s love.

We told you about the time our Lord Jesus Christ came with power. But we didn’t make up clever stories when we told you about it. With our own eyes we saw him in all his majesty.

They speak empty, bragging words. They make their appeal to the evil desires that come from sin’s power. They tempt new believers who are just escaping from the company of sinful people.

It was made known to the prophets that they were not serving themselves. Instead, they were serving you when they spoke about the things that you have now heard. Those who have preached the good news to you have told you these things. They have done it with the help of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do.

People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don’t mean they fool people who don’t know any better.

Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.

But I don’t want anyone to fool you with words that only sound good.

When he comes, he will prove that the world’s people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment.The world is guilty as far as sin is concerned. That’s because people do not believe in me.The world is guilty as far as godliness is concerned. That’s because I am going to the Father, where you can’t see me anymore.The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That’s because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.“ I have much more to say to you. It is more than you can handle right now.But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen.He will bring me glory. That’s because what he receives from me he will show to you.Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said what the Holy Spirit receives from me he will show to you.”

The visions of those prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say,‘ The Lord announces.’ But I have not sent them. In spite of that, they expect him to make their words come true.

She led him astray with her clever words. She charmed him with her smooth talk.

He would get up early. He would stand by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Sometimes a person would come with a case for the king to decide. Then Absalom would call out to him,“ What town are you from?” He would answer,“ I’m from one of the tribes of Israel.”Absalom would say,“ Look, your claims are based on the law. So you have every right to make them. But the king doesn’t have anyone here who can listen to your case.”Absalom would continue,“ I wish I were appointed judge in the land! Then anyone who has a case or a claim could come to me. I would make sure they are treated fairly.”Sometimes people would approach Absalom and bow down to him. Then he would reach out his hand. He would take hold of them and kiss them.Absalom did that to all the Israelites who came to the king with their cases or claims. That’s why the hearts of the people were turned toward him.

The Lord said,‘ Who will get Ahab, the king of Israel, to attack Ramoth Gilead? I want him to die there.’“ One angel suggested one thing. Another suggested something else.Finally, a spirit came forward and stood in front of the Lord. The spirit said,‘ I’ll get Ahab to do it.’“‘ How?’ the Lord asked.“ The spirit said,‘ I’ll go and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.’“‘ You will have success in getting Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead,’ said the Lord.‘ Go and do it.’

Then Agrippa spoke to Paul.“ Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?” he said.“ Do you think you can do that in such a short time?”

On the fourth day they spoke to Samson’s wife.“ Get your husband to explain the riddle for us,” they said.“ If you don’t, we’ll burn you to death. We’ll burn up everyone in your family. Did you invite us here to steal our property?”

A person who talks about others tells secrets. So avoid anyone who talks too much.

I hear many people whispering,“ There is terror on every side! Bring charges against Jeremiah! Let’s bring charges against him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip. They are saying,“ Perhaps he will be tricked into making a mistake. Then we’ll win out over him. We’ll get even with him.”

“‘ “They lead my people away from me. They say,‘ Peace.’ But there isn’t any peace. They are like people who build a weak wall. They try to cover up the weakness by painting the wall white.Tell those who do this that their wall is going to fall. Heavy rains will come. I will send hailstones crashing down. Powerful winds will blow.

The rulers of the Philistines went to her. They said,“ See if you can get him to tell you the secret of why he’s so strong. Find out how we can overpower him. Then we can tie him up. We can bring him under our control. Each of us will give you 28 pounds of silver.”

“ So now I’m saying,‘ May what you have told me prevent that man from doing what he wants. You are like an angel of God. You know what is good and what is evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’ ”Then the king said to the woman,“ I’m going to ask you a question. I want you to tell me the truth.”“ Please ask me anything you want to,” the woman said.The king asked,“ Joab told you to say all of this, didn’t he?” The woman answered,“ What you have told me is exactly right. And that’s just as sure as you are alive. It’s true that Joab directed me to do this. He told me everything he wanted me to say.He did it to change the way things now are. You are as wise as an angel of God. You know everything that happens in the land.”

A messenger went to get Micaiah. He said to him,“ Look. The other prophets agree. All of them are saying the king will have success. So agree with them. Say the same thing they do.”But Micaiah said,“ You can be sure that the Lord lives. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I can only tell the king what the Lord tells me to say.”