Romans, Part 75

Posted on May 30, 2016 by admin

Live in harmony (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω) with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.^[1] I can’t find live or harmony in the Greek here, τὸ αὐτὸ εἰς ἀλλήλους φρονοῦντες. The phrase translated do not be haughty is μὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες (literally, “no lofty thought” or “no high-mindedness”). I would translate the first sentence, “Think of one another” or “Consider one another, not generalities, but specifics,” the down and dirty, nitty-gritty of another’s life and outlook. For by the grace given to me, Paul already wrote, I say to every one of you not to think more highly (ὑπερφρονεῖν, a form of ὑπερφρονεώ) of yourself than you ought to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) but to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) with sober discernment (σωφρονεῖν, a form of σωφρονέω), as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.^[2]

Paul prayed, and I assume believed, that God would give his readers this thinking (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) of one another, translated unity below: For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance (ὑπομονῆς, a form of ὑπομονή) and through encouragement (παρακλήσεως, a form of παράκλησις) of the scriptures we may have hope. Now may the God of endurance (ὑπομονῆς, a form of ὑπομονή) and comfort (παρακλήσεως, a form of παράκλησις) give you unity with one another (τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλοις) in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.^[3]

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind (φρονεῖς, another form of φρονέω) on God’s interests, but on man’s.”^[4] Mark’s Gospel informs that Jesus spoke this way to Peter after turning and looking at his disciples.^[5]

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Matthew’s Gospel continued, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”^[6] This his disciples were already doing in the most literal way imaginable, but in their thinking they walked according to the flesh. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. As Paul wrote the Romans, those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped (φρονοῦσιν, another form of φρονέω) by the things of the flesh…^[7]

The Holy Spirit transforms our thinking: but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit,^[8] Paul continued. Keep thinking (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.^[9] I thank my God every time I remember you, Paul wrote believers in Philippi. I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is right for me to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace together with me.^[10]

Paul expounded on this Holy Spirit thinking in his letter to the Philippians (2:1-13; 3:18-21 NET):

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind (φρονῆτε, another form of φρονέω), by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω). Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [e.g., y^ehôvâh] to the glory of God the Father. So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed (ὑπηκούσατε, a form of ὑπακούω), not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω) about earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Paul stressed that this thinking is not something we accomplish in the flesh. He trusted God to accomplish it through his Spirit (Philippians 3:4b-15 NET):

If someone thinks (δοκεῖ, a form of δοκέω) he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials (σαρκί, a form of σάρξ), I have more: I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless. But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded [ἓν δέ; “but one” or “one moreover”]: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind (σκοπὸν, a form of σκοπός), I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view (φρονῶμεν, another form of φρονέω). If you think (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.

In Galatians Paul was concerned specifically about Gentile believers accepting circumcision as necessary or beneficial, but I think we can hear his words in this context as well, if we were to turn this thinking from the Holy Spirit into a human program to “live in harmony” (Galatians 5:4-10a NET Table):

You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. You were running well; who prevented you from obeying (πείθεσθαι, a form of πείθω) the truth? This persuasion (πεισμονὴ) does not come from the one who calls you! A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise! I am confident (πέποιθα, another form of πείθω) in the Lord that you will accept (φρονήσετε, another form of φρονέω) no other view.^[11]

Thinking of one another implies a mutual concern: I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) for me. (Now I know you were concerned [ἐφρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω] before but had no opportunity to do anything.)^[12] And it implies some tolerance for one another’s quirks: One person regards (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) one day holier than other days, and another regards (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) them all alike. Each must be fully convinced (πληροφορείσθω, a form of πληροφορέω) in his own mind. The one who observes (φρονῶν, another form of φρονέω) the day does (φρονεῖ, another form of φρονέω) it for the Lord.^[13]

While I don’t doubt that this thinking from the Holy Spirit will result in something like harmony or unity or agreement eventually, I’m not entirely comfortable when forms of φρονέω are translated agree: I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) in the Lord;^[14] and, Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.^[15] I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit meant some form of group-think or committee work.

The Jerusalem council agreed unanimously to send a letter to the Gentiles which read: For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden (βάρος) on you than these necessary rules.^[16] James’ abbreviated version of the law followed. It took individual believers not some corporate entity to set this error aright: For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh (βαρεῖαι, a form of βαρύς) us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.^[17]

I would like to think that μὴ γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι παρ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς (literally, “not become wise from himself, herself or themselves”) meant to become wise through the Holy Spirit. But Paul used φρόνιμοι (a form of φρόνιμος) facetiously three other times (Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 4:10 and 2 Corinthians 11:19 NET). Do not be conceited may be an adequate translation. Only Jesus used φρόνιμοι seriously (Mathew 10:16-20 NET):

I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise (φρόνιμοι , a form of φρόνιμος) as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time [Table]. For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Romans, Part 76

Back to Romans, Part 80

Back to Romans, Part 83

^[1] Romans 12:16 (NET)

^[2] Romans 12:3 (NET)

^[3] Romans 15:4-6 (NET)

^[4] Matthew 16:21-23 (NET)

^[5] Mark 8:33 (NET)

^[6] Matthew 16:24 (NET)

^[7] Romans 8:5a (NET)

^[8] Romans 8:5b (NET)

^[9] Colossians 3:2, 3 (NET)

^[10] Philippians 1:3-7 (NET)

^[11] NET note 11: “Grk ‘that you will think nothing otherwise.’”

^[12] Philippians 4:10 (NET)

^[13] Romans 14:5, 6a (NET)

^[14] Philippians 4:2 (NET)

^[15] 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NET)

^[16] Acts 15:28 (NET) Table

^[17] 1 John 5:3, 4 (NET)

Paul in Corinth

Posted on July 21, 2012 by admin

Paul¹ departed from Athens and went to Corinth.² Luke didn’t write much about Paul’s 18 months³ in Corinth, I assume because Paul wrote so much in 1 and 2 Corinthians (and one other letter⁴ Luke may have known about). But I have to admit I would have appreciated a bit more of Luke’s objective eye to balance Paul’s more introspective look. The most important thing Luke recorded however was the Lord Jesus’ encouragement to comfort Paul’s fear (Acts 18:9, 10 NET).

The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω), but speak (λάλει, a form of λαλέω) and do not be silent (σιωπήσῃς, a form of σιωπάω), because I am with (μετά) you, and no one will assault (ἐπιθήσεται, a form of ἐπιτίθημι) you to harm (κακῶσαι, a form of κακόω) you, because I have⁵ many people in this city.”

Before attempting to discover why Paul was afraid to speak in Corinth, I want to review Jesus’ instructions to his twelve disciples when He gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.⁶

I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak (λαλήσητε, another form of λαλέω) or what to say, for what you should say⁷ (λαλήσητε, another form λαλέω) will be given to you at that time. For it is not you speaking (λαλοῦντες, another form of λαλέω), but the Spirit of your Father speaking (λαλοῦν, another form of λαλέω) through you.⁸

Luke recorded a story about the apostles (including Peter, the others were not named) after they were beaten for disobeying the Jewish ruling council by continuing to preach in Jesus’ name: So they left the council rejoicing (χαίροντες, a form of χαίρω) because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.⁹ This is exactly how Jesus told them to behave: Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things¹⁰ about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice (χαίρετε, another form of χαίρω) and be glad…¹¹ Paul was more than a little familiar with these phenomena, both people handing him over to councils to be flogged, and the Holy Spirit giving him the words to speak when needed. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison in Philippi. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them.¹²

The account of the end of Paul’s stay in Pisidian Antioch is as follows (Acts 13:50-52 NET):

But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their region [Table]. So after they shook the dust off their¹³ feet in protest against them, they went to Iconium. And¹⁴ the disciples were filled (ἐπληροῦντο, a form of πληρόω) with joy (χαρᾶς, a form of χαρά) and with the Holy Spirit.

Apparently the relatively new believers in Pisidian Antioch also shared in this counter-intuitive joy. If I hear Rejoice and be glad as a rule for me to obey when I am being mistreated by others, well, the stated reason—because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way¹⁵—is scant help. My rejoicing and gladness of heart under those circumstances are either AWOL or so tepid they are rarely convincing, even to me. But if I hear this by faith, as a promise, then I realize that χαίρω doesn’t originate with me, but wells up from the χαρά (joy) that is an aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.¹⁶

If I consider Paul’s fear from a law perspective I see that every time he opened his mouth to speak people ridiculed or beat or stoned him. And, admittedly, part of the Lord’s comfort to Paul in Corinth was the promise that, no one will assault you to harm you. But if I think about it from a faith perspective, well, the apparent masochism of the early apostles and disciples makes perfect sense. Not only were their bloodstreams flooded with endorphins and adrenaline when their bodies were stressed, their spirits were filled with the χαρά of the Lord. A feedback loop like that could easily become addicting, and even progressive, encouraging them to risk new dangers and greater challenges.

If I think of Paul as fairly far along in this addictive feedback loop, initiated and perpetuated by speaking, I look somewhere other than the feedback loop itself for something that would cause him to be afraid to speak. More mistreatment simply resulted in more endorphins, more adrenaline and more χαρά. I need something that would disturb or distort that feedback loop, cause Paul to doubt himself or the Spirit of Christ in him. For better or worse I’ve latched onto the nature of some of the Lord’s people in Corinth as potentially troubling to the former Pharisee and self-proclaimed least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle.¹⁷ Some of them were sexually immoral (πόρνοι, a form of πόρνος), idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers,¹⁸ and some of them apparently had some difficulty shedding those sins.

Having said all that, I do believe that something about the people of Athens negatively impacted Paul even before he arrived in Corinth. I decided (ἔκρινα, a form of κρίνω) to be concerned¹⁹ about nothing among²⁰ you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.²¹ Paul judged, even prejudged or was prejudiced against, the Corinthians before he spoke to them. By his own admission his focus on nothing…except Jesus Christ, and him crucified denied the Corinthians wisdom: Now we do speak wisdom among the mature²²…not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit,²³ explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.²⁴ I²⁵ could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh,²⁶ as infants in Christ.²⁷

Obviously, by the time I heard of any of this in 1 Corinthians Paul was already doing everything he could to correct that deficit, writing 1 Corinthians, sending Timothy to remind [them] of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.²⁸ And he did this even as he clung to his initial judgment regarding their unworthiness: I fed you milk,²⁹ not solid food, for you were not yet ready.³⁰ In fact, you are still not³¹ ready.³² But when I compare Romans to 1 Corinthians it seems all too apparent that the wisdom Paul withheld is the cause of spiritual maturity, not a reward for achieving it somehow by one’s own efforts.

Addendum: April 6, 2020
Tables comparing Acts 18:1; 18:10; Matthew 10:19; Acts 5:41; Matthew 5:11; Acts 13:51, 52; 1 Corinthians 2:2; 2:13 and 3:1, 2 in the NET and KJV follow.

Acts 18:1 (NET)	Acts 18:1 (KJV)
After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.	After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Μετὰ ταῦτα χωρισθεὶς ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ἦλθεν εἰς Κόρινθον	μετα δε ταυτα χωρισθεις ο παυλος εκ των αθηνων ηλθεν εις κορινθον	μετα δε ταυτα χωρισθεις ο παυλος εκ των αθηνων ηλθεν εις κορινθον

Acts 18:10 (NET)	Acts 18:10 (KJV)
because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city.”	For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
διότι ἐγώ εἰμι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπιθήσεται σοι τοῦ κακῶσαι σε, διότι λαός ἐστί μοι πολὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ	διοτι εγω ειμι μετα σου και ουδεις επιθησεται σοι του κακωσαι σε διοτι λαος εστιν μοι πολυς εν τη πολει ταυτη	διοτι εγω ειμι μετα σου και ουδεις επιθησεται σοι του κακωσαι σε διοτι λαος εστιν μοι πολυς εν τη πολει ταυτη

Matthew 10:19 (NET)	Matthew 10:19 (KJV)
Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time.	But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ παραδῶσιν ὑμᾶς, μὴ μεριμνήσητε πῶς ἢ τί λαλήσητε· δοθήσεται γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τί λαλήσητε	οταν δε παραδιδωσιν υμας μη μεριμνησητε πως η τι λαλησητε δοθησεται γαρ υμιν εν εκεινη τη ωρα τι λαλησετε	οταν δε παραδιδωσιν υμας μη μεριμνησητε πως η τι λαλησητε δοθησεται γαρ υμιν εν εκεινη τη ωρα τι λαλησετε

Acts 5:41 (NET)	Acts 5:41 (KJV)
So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.	And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπορεύοντο χαίροντες ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ συνεδρίου, ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἀτιμασθῆναι	οι μεν ουν επορευοντο χαιροντες απο προσωπου του συνεδριου οτι υπερ του ονοματος αυτου κατηξιωθησαν ατιμασθηναι	οι μεν ουν επορευοντο χαιροντες απο προσωπου του συνεδριου οτι υπερ του ονοματος του ιησου κατηξιωθησαν ατιμασθηναι

Matthew 5:11 (NET)	Matthew 5:11 (KJV)
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.	Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
μακάριοι ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ᾿ ὑμῶν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ	μακαριοι εστε οταν ονειδισωσιν υμας και διωξωσιν και ειπωσιν παν πονηρον ρημα καθ υμων ψευδομενοι ενεκεν εμου	μακαριοι εστε οταν ονειδισωσιν υμας και διωξωσιν και ειπωσιν παν πονηρον ρημα καθ υμων ψευδομενοι ενεκεν εμου

Acts 13:51, 52 (NET)	Acts 13:51, 52 (KJV)
So after they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, they went to Iconium.	But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οἱ δὲ ἐκτιναξάμενοι τὸν κονιορτὸν τῶν ποδῶν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἦλθον εἰς Ἰκόνιον	οι δε εκτιναξαμενοι τον κονιορτον των ποδων αυτων επ αυτους ηλθον εις ικονιον	οι δε εκτιναξαμενοι τον κονιορτον των ποδων αυτων επ αυτους ηλθον εις ικονιον

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οἵ τε μαθηταὶ ἐπληροῦντο χαρᾶς καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου	οι δε μαθηται επληρουντο χαρας και πνευματος αγιου	οι δε μαθηται επληρουντο χαρας και πνευματος αγιου

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NET)	1 Corinthians 2:2 (KJV)
For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.	For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐ γὰρ ἔκρινα τι εἰδέναι ἐν ὑμῖν εἰ μὴ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον	ου γαρ εκρινα του ειδεναι τι εν υμιν ει μη ιησουν χριστον και τουτον εσταυρωμενον	ου γαρ εκρινα του ειδεναι τι εν υμιν ει μη ιησουν χριστον και τουτον εσταυρωμενον

1 Corinthians 2:13 (NET)	1 Corinthians 2:13 (KJV)
And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.	Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἃ καὶ λαλοῦμεν οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις ἀλλ᾿ ἐν διδακτοῖς πνεύματος, πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συγκρίνοντες	α και λαλουμεν ουκ εν διδακτοις ανθρωπινης σοφιας λογοις αλλ εν διδακτοις πνευματος αγιου πνευματικοις πνευματικα συγκρινοντες	α και λαλουμεν ουκ εν διδακτοις ανθρωπινης σοφιας λογοις αλλ εν διδακτοις πνευματος αγιου πνευματικοις πνευματικα συγκρινοντες

1 Corinthians 3:1, 2 (NET)	1 Corinthians 3:1, 2 (KJV)
So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.	And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Καγώ, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην λαλῆσαι ὑμῖν ὡς πνευματικοῖς ἀλλ᾿ ὡς σαρκίνοις, ὡς νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ	και εγω αδελφοι ουκ ηδυνηθην λαλησαι υμιν ως πνευματικοις αλλ ως σαρκικοις ως νηπιοις εν χριστω	και εγω αδελφοι ουκ ηδυνηθην υμιν λαλησαι ως πνευματικοις αλλ ως σαρκικοις ως νηπιοις εν χριστω

I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready,

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, οὐ βρῶμα· οὔπω γὰρ ἐδύνασθε ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ \|ἔτι\| νῦν δύνασθε,	γαλα υμας εποτισα και ου βρωμα ουπω γαρ ηδυνασθε αλλ ουτε ετι νυν δυνασθε	γαλα υμας εποτισα και ου βρωμα ουπω γαρ εδυνασθε αλλ ουτε ετι νυν δυνασθε