1 Corinthians 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:9

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

a. NLT: That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

b. NIV: However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—

c. YLT: but, according as it hath been written, 'What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him --'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed].

e. Worrell Translation: but, as it has been written, “Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and that entered not intothe heart of man—whatsoever things God prepared for those who love Him”;

f. Wuest Translation: But even as it stands written, The things which eye did not see nor ear hear and which did not arise within an individual’s heart, so many things as God prepared for those who love Him.

1. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered in to the heart of man…”

a. But [Strong: 235 alla al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. as [Strong: 2531. kathos kath-oce' from 2596 and 5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:--according to, (according, even) as, how, when.]

c. it is written [Strong: 1125. grapho graf'-o a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).]

d. Eye [Strong: 3788. ophthalmos of-thal-mos' from 3700; the eye (literally or figuratively); by implication, vision; figuratively, envy (from the jealous side-glance):--eye, sight.]

e. hath…seen [Strong: 1492. eido i'-do a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

f. not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

g. nor [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

1). [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

2). Used with “nor”.

h. ear [Strong: 3775. ous ooce apparently a primary word; the ear (physically or mentally):--ear.]

i. heard [Strong: 191. akouo ak-oo'-o a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

j. neither [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

1). [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

2). Used with “neither”.

k. have entered in [Strong: 305. anabaino an-ab-ah'-ee-no from 303 and the base of 939; to go up (literally or figuratively):--arise, ascend (up), climb (go, grow, rise, spring) up, come (up).]

l. into [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

m. the heart [Strong: 2588. kardia kar-dee'-ah prolonged from a primary kar (Latin cor, "heart"); the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle:--(+ broken-)heart(-ed).]

n. of man [Strong: 444. anthropos anth'-ro-pos from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]

1). The reason they had not entered into the heart of man is of course these were the things of God hid from the foundation of the world. Paul is referring to the wisdom of the New Covenant. and only God knew the things of God, which is stated in verse 11.

a). Ephesians 3:1-6 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

2). Paul confirms in 1 Corinthians 2:11 that this wisdom and knowledge was only known by God.

a). 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

2. “…the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

b. [the things] which [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.

c. God [Strong: 2316 * 2316. theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

d. hath prepared [Strong: 2090. hetoimazo het-oy-mad'-zo from 2092; to prepare:--prepare, provide, make ready.

e. for them [Strong: 3588. ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

f. that love [Strong: 25. agapao ag-ap-ah'-o perhaps from agan (much) (or compare 5689); to love (in a social or moral sense):--(be-)love(-ed).]

g. him [Strong: 846 * 846. autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

1). This verse is a quote from Isaiah.

a). Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

2). I can remember over 30 years ago [today 4/19/10], Chuck Wade ministering at WPC and saying regarding 1 Corinthians 2:9 that too many people stop after reading verse nine and say how wonderful heaven is going to be, but we need to keep reading. He has revealed them to us by His Spirit! He is referring to heaven but he is also referring to the New Covenant as is proven in the next passage.

3). 1 Peter 1:10-12 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1:11 Searching 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.

1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

a). In 1 Peter 1:11 Peter mentions “the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow”.  The “glory that should follow” is referring to both the New Covenant and also the Millennial Kingdom.

b). In verse 12 Peter referred to “the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;”

c). This is the New Covenant.