1 Corinthianschapter 13

13 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 304 cross-references outward and receives 202 — heaviest partner: 1 Corinthians.

Chapter summary

The love chapter. Though I speak with tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am nothing. Charity suffereth long and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her own. Charity never faileth. Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Wesley reads this as the crown of the Corinthian correctives — every gift is nothing without love.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Epistle · Paul — see the 1 Corinthians overview for the book's full setting.

1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

2 And 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 have not love, I am nothing.

3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;

6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;

7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.

13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Continue: 1 Corinthians 14 →