1 Corinthians 2:11

11 For who of men hath known the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? thus also the things of God knows no one except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 2:11

For what man knoweth the things of a man
The thoughts of a man's heart, the conceptions of his mind, the schemes he is drawing there, his designs, purposes, and intentions; these can never be known by another man, no, nor by angels or devils; not by any creature; by none

save the spirit of a man which is in him?
which is only conscious to, and can only make known the things that are in him:

even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;
and which, as it proves how secret, hidden, unknown, the mysteries of grace are, until revealed by the Spirit; so it gives full evidence to the deity of the Holy Ghost, and clearly shows he must be God, who is in him, knows the thoughts of his heart, the counsels of his mind, his purposes and decrees, and what is contained in them.

1 Corinthians 2:11 In-Context

9 but according as it is written, Things which eye has not seen, and ear not heard, and which have not come into man's heart, which God has prepared for them that love him,

10 but God has revealed to us by [his] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

11 For who of men hath known the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? thus also the things of God knows no one except the Spirit of God.

12 But *we* have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which [is] of God, that we may know the things which have been freely given to us of God:

13 which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual [things] by spiritual [means].

Footnotes

• [a]. 'Man' here has the article, but the sense is this: what is in man's mind is not known of any but the spirit of the man himself, who has the thoughts; much more is it so with God.