1 Corinthians 2:14

1 Corinthians 2:14

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

a. NLT: But people who aren’t spiritual[fn] can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

b. NIV: The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

c. YLT: The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

e. Worrell Translation: But a natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.

f. Wuest Translation: But the unregenerate man of the highest intellectual attainments does not grant access to the things of the Spirit of God, to him they are folly, and he is not able to come to know them because they are investigated in a spiritual realm.

1. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God…”

a. But [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. the natural [Strong: 5591. psuchikos psoo-khee-kos' from 5590; sensitive, i.e. animate (in distinction on the one hand from 4152, which is the higher or renovated nature; and on the other from 5446, which is the lower or bestial nature):--natural, sensual.]

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

d. receiveth [Strong: 1209. dechomai dekh'-om-ahee middle voice of a primary verb; to receive (in various applications, literally or figuratively):--accept, receive, take.]

e. 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.]

f. the things [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.]

g. of the [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.]

h. Spirit [Strong: 4151. pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

i. of God [Strong: 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).]

1). Natural man, individuals who have not been born again, cannot receice or accept or understand the things of God. Natural man only receives from his 5 physical senses: touch, smell, see, hear and taste and he is completely governed by them. 

2. “…for they are foolishness unto him…”

a. for [Strong: 1063. gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. they are [Strong: 2076. esti es-tee' third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]  

c. foolish [Strong: 3472. moria mo-ree'-ah from 3474; silliness, i.e. absurdity:--foolishness.]

d. unto him [Strong: 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 explains the reaction of unregenerate man when he is presented with spiritual truths. He can’t help himself

a). 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

2). When Christians reject the clear revelation of the Scripture it is because there is rebellion in their hearts.

3. “…neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

a. neither [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.]

1). 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.]

b. can [Strong: 1410. dunamai doo'-nam-ahee of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible:--be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.]

c. he know [them] [Strong: 1097. ginosko ghin-oce'-ko a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):--allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know(-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.]

d. because [Strong: 3754. hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

e. [they are] spiritually [Strong: 4153. pneumatikos pnyoo-mat-ik-oce' adverb from 4152; non-physically, i.e. divinely, figuratively:--spiritually.]

f. discerned [Strong: 350. anakrino an-ak-ree'-no from 303 and 2919; properly, to scrutinize, i.e. (by implication) investigate, interrogate, determine:--ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search.]