New Testament
1 Corinthians 13
Overview
Promised as "a still more excellent way," chapter 13 is Paul's sustained meditation on love, set deliberately within the discussion of spiritual gifts. He begins with a triple hypothetical: tongues of men and angels, prophecy that fathoms all mysteries and knowledge, faith that moves mountains, and even the sacrifice of all his goods and his body—without love, he is nothing and gains nothing. He then portrays love's character in a string of active verbs: love is patient and kind; it does not envy or boast, is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on its own way, is not irritable or resentful, does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth; it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. Finally he contrasts the permanence of love with the impermanence of gifts: prophecies will pass away, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass; for now we know in part and see in a mirror dimly, but when the perfect comes we shall see face to face and know fully. Three things abide—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.