1 Corinthians 2:11-13
What is written? (ESV)
For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
What does it say?
Only the spirit of a person knows for certain what is in them. It's the same with God; only the Spirit of God knows and understands the thoughts of God. Now we [the apostles] did not receive the spirit of the world, but the Holy Spirit from God, in order that we [the apostles] can understand what has freely been given to us from Him. So we impart these to you in words not taught by man’s earthly wisdom but actually taught by the Spirit – expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words to those that are spiritual.
What is its immediate context?
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth dealing with several serious issues throughout the letter, but here dealing with divisions among them and reminding them of the uniting nature of the Gospel. In this chapter, and really including the first four chapters of this letter, he emphasizes the need for them to rely upon the word of God that he had shared with them as the foundation to solve these issues.
How 1 Corinthians 2:11-13 is applied across Bible answers
Are God’s word and the Holy Spirit the same thing?
Paul says that he, along with the other apostles (eg "we"), received the Holy Spirit in order to understand what God the Father has imparted to them (eg His word). In other words, the Spirit enabled the word for the apostles (but the Spirit was not the word).
The "we" here is in reference to Paul and the other apostles. Note especially vss 1-7 where the "we" is established. This passage does not teach that everyone/any Christian is taught directly by the Holy Spirit, therefore it does not apply to this question.
Who said scripture interprets scripture?
The message Paul and the apostles preached was a spiritual one, requiring interpretation with "spiritual truths" by "those who are spiritual". They are not taught or interpreted through/by human wisdom.
Paul takes the entire first four chapters of 1 Corinthians to make this point.
