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31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

13 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

31 Keep on desiring[a] the better gifts. And now I will show you the best way of all.

The Supremacy of Love

13 If I speak in the languages of humans and angels but have no love, I have become a reverberating gong or a clashing cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all secrets and every form of knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains but have no love, I am nothing. Even if I give away everything that I have and sacrifice myself,[b] but have no love, I gain nothing.

Love is always patient;
    love is always kind;
love is never envious
    or arrogant with pride.

Nor is she conceited,
and she is never rude;
she never thinks just of herself
    or ever gets annoyed.

She never is resentful;
is never glad with sin;
she’s always glad to side with truth,
    and pleased that truth will win.[c]

She bears up under everything;
    believes the best in all;
there is no limit to her hope,
    and never will she fall.

Love never fails. Now if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are languages, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For what we know is incomplete and what we prophesy is incomplete. 10 But when what is complete[d] comes, then what is incomplete will be done away with.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways. 12 Now we see only an indistinct image in a mirror, but then we will be face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:31 Or You are desiring
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Other mss. read sacrifice my body to be burned; or myself so that I may boast
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:6 The Gk. lacks shall win
  4. 1 Corinthians 13:10 Or perfect