31 But (A)earnestly desire the [a]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The Greatest Gift

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of (B)prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, (C)so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And (D)though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [b]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

(E)Love suffers long and is (F)kind; love (G)does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not [c]puffed up; does not behave rudely, (H)does not seek its own, is not provoked, [d]thinks no evil; (I)does not rejoice in iniquity, but (J)rejoices in the truth; (K)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love 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. (L)For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is [e]perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When 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. 12 For (M)now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then (N)face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:31 NU greater
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 NU so I may boast
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:4 arrogant
  4. 1 Corinthians 13:5 keeps no accounts of evil
  5. 1 Corinthians 13:10 complete

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