1 Corinthians 13
New Matthew Bible
The nature and attributes of love.
13 Though I spoke with the tongues of men and angels, and yet had no love, I would be even as sounding brass, or as a ringing cymbal. 2 And though I could prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge – yea if I had all faith, so that I could move mountains out of their places – and yet had no love, I would be nothing. 3 And if I bestowed all my goods to feed the poor, and even if I gave my body to be burned, and yet had no love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long, and is kind. Love does not envy. Love is not contrary, does not swell up, 5 does not deal dishonourably, seeks not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinks no evil; 6 does not take pleasure in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 suffers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures in all things. 8 Though prophesying fail, or tongues cease, or knowledge vanish away, yet love never falls away.
9 For our knowledge is imperfect, and our prophesying is imperfect. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is imperfect shall be put away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I imagined as a child. But as soon as I was a man, I put away childishness. 12 Now we see as is reflected to us in a mysterious word, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know imperfectly, but then I shall know even as I am known. 13 Now faith, hope, and love, these three things abide, but the chief of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13
Authorized (King James) Version
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And 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. 3 And 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.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity 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. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When 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. 12 For 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. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.