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The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not [a]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]. And 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. If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

Love 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. It 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. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love 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].

Love 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. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. 10 But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. 11 When 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. 12 For 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]. 13 And 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.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 I.e. a profound thoughtfulness and unselfish concern for other believers regardless of their circumstances or station in life.
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Early mss read so that I may boast, i.e. as a martyr.

13 If ean I speak laleō in the ho tongues glōssa of ho men anthrōpos and kai of ho angels angelos, but de do echō not have echō love agapē, I am ginomai a resounding ēcheō gong chalkos or ē a clanging alalazō cymbal kymbalon. And kai if ean I have echō the gift of prophecy prophēteia, and kai understand oida · ho all pas mysteries mystērion and kai all pas · ho knowledge gnōsis, and kai if ean I have echō all pas · ho faith pistis so that hōste I can remove methistēmi mountains oros, but de do echō not have echō love agapē, I am eimi nothing outheis. If I kan give away psōmizō everything pas · ho I egō own hyparchō, and kai if ean I surrender paradidōmi · ho my egō body sōma to hina be burned kauchaomai, but de do echō not have echō love agapē, it benefits me ōpheleō nothing oudeis.

· ho Love agapē is patient makrothumeō, love agapē is kind chrēsteuomai, · ho it does not ou envy zēloō. · ho Love agapē does not ou brag perpereuomai, it is not ou arrogant physioō, it is not ou rude aschēmoneō, it is not ou self-seeking zēteō, · ho it is not ou easily angered paroxynō, it keeps no ou account logizomai of ho wrongs kakos, it takes no ou pleasure chairō in epi · ho wrongdoing adikia, but de rejoices synchairō in the ho truth alētheia. Love bears stegō all pas things , believes pisteuō all pas things , hopes elpizō all pas things , endures hypomenō all pas things .

· ho Love agapē never oudepote comes to an end piptō. But de if eite there are prophecies prophēteia, they will be set aside katargeō; if eite there are tongues glōssa, they will cease pauō; if eite there is knowledge gnōsis, it will be set aside katargeō. For gar we know ginōskō in ek part meros and kai we prophesy prophēteuō in ek part meros, 10 but de when hotan what ho is complete teleios comes erchomai, the ho partial ek meros will be set aside katargeō. 11 When hote I was eimi a child nēpios, I talked laleō like hōs a child nēpios, I thought phroneō like hōs a child nēpios, I reasoned logizomai like hōs a child nēpios. When hote I became ginomai a man anēr, I set aside katargeō childish nēpios ways ho. · ho 12 For gar the present arti we are looking blepō through dia a mirror esoptron obscurely en ainigma, but de then tote face prosōpon to pros face prosōpon. Now arti I know ginōskō in ek part meros; then tote · de I will know fully epiginōskō, just as kathōs · kai I have been fully known epiginōskō. 13 And de now nyni remain menō faith pistis, hope elpis, and love agapē; · ho these houtos three treis. And de the greatest megas of these houtos is · ho love agapē.