The phrase reads literally, “not in taught words of human wisdom.” The words, the subtle reasoning, of Greek philosophy could not rightly present the truths of God.

Literally, “in taught [words] of the Holy Spirit.” Paul was the recipient of instruction communicated by the living Spirit of God. He recognized that he was under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and that his thoughts were prompted by the Spirit (see AA 251; EGW Supplementary Material on Peter 1:21). Seeing that heavenly wisdom is so different from all earthly knowledge, it must be expressed in a way and in words that differ from ordinary earthly usage. The one in whom the Spirit of God dwells, and through whom He works, lives in a different sphere from the worldly-minded person, and will of necessity speak in a different way. A mathematician expresses a mathematical truth in the technical language of mathematics; a musician discusses a musical theme in the vocabulary of music. Similarly spiritual truths are expressed in spiritual words and forms of statement.

 Gr. sugkrinō. This word occurs in the NT only here and in 2 Cor. 10:12, where it is also translated “to compare.” In the LXX sugkrinō has the meaning “to interpret” (see Gen. 40:8, 16, 22; 41:12, 13, 15; Dan. 5:12, 16). In classical usage the word means “to join together fitly,” “to combine.” Its meaning in the papyri does not seem to bear upon the present passage. There it means “to decide [especially in judicial matters].”

The interpretation of the present passage is dependent first upon the meaning given to sugkrinō and second upon the gender assigned to the word translated “with spiritual” (pneumatikois). In the form in which it appears pneumatikois may be either masculine or neuter. If it is masculine, it refers to spiritual persons, or perhaps to spiritual words; if it is neuter, it refers to spiritual things. The ambiguity of the term pneumatikois, together with the various meanings that may be assigned to sugkrinō, makes possible several translations:

 (1) “combining spiritual truths with spiritual words,”

 (2) “interpreting spiritual things by spiritual words,”

 (3) “interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men,”

 (4) “comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” that is, the spiritual revelations earlier given,

 (5) “clothing spiritual content in Spirit-wrought forms.”

There is no way to determine which of these interpretations was uppermost in Paul’s mind. All suit the context and all convey significant spiritual truth.