I Corinthians 13
13
The Greatest Gift
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of #Matt. 7:22; 1 Cor. 12:8–10, 28; 14:1prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, #Matt. 17:20; 21:21; Mark 11:23; Luke 17:6so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3And #Matt. 6:1, 2though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4#Prov. 10:12; 17:9; 1 Thess. 5:14; (1 Pet. 4:8)Love suffers long and is #Eph. 4:32kind; love #Gal. 5:26does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, #1 Cor. 10:24; Phil. 2:4does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6#Ps. 10:3; Rom. 1:32does not rejoice in iniquity, but #2 John 4; 3 John 3rejoices in the truth; 7#Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:24bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9#1 Cor. 8:2; 13:12For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11When I was a child, I spoke 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 #(2 Cor. 3:18; 5:7); Phil. 3:12; James 1:23now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then #Gen. 32:30; Num. 12:8; Matt. 18:10; (1 John 3:2)face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
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I Corinthians 13: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 13
13
The Excellence of Love
1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not #I.e. a profound thoughtfulness and unselfish concern for other believers regardless of their circumstances or station in life.love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. 2And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. 3If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body #Early mss read so that I may boast, i.e. as a martyr.to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.
4Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. 10But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. 13And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
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