To change the order of clauses in this verse would make the sequence of thought clearer; but none of the translations that we have consulted do this. Between verses 11 and 12a there is a slight jump in Paul’s argument, and verse 12b goes back to fill the gap. It would therefore be possible to translate “But we do understand the gifts that come from God, because he has given us, not the spirit of the world, but his own Spirit.”

Spirit in the phrase spirit of the world probably refers to the thinking or understanding process of humans generally, namely human wisdom. So it is possible to translate the first clause as “We do not think or understand the way other humans do; instead….” The clause the Spirit which is from God can be rendered as “the Spirit whom God has sent,” or one may restructure the sentence as “instead, God has sent his Spirit to us.”

Please see the comments on 1.20 on the phrase the world.

What Paul means by “knowing” or “understanding” the gifts bestowed on us by God can be understood by remembering that “to know” in biblical language includes the meaning “to experience” or “to participate in.” Good News Bible and other translations consider that the gifts refers to more than just “spiritual gifts” as in chapter 12. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says, for example, “what God has done for us.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But we do understand the gifts that come from God, because we do not think or understand the way other humans do. God has given us his own Spirit to help us understand.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .