1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I
possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not
rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they
will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy
in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 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 put childish ways
behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I
know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Since God is Love, please now read the following
again thoughtfully and with your heart:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not God, I am only a resounding gong
or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not God, I am nothing. If I give all
I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not God, I gain nothing.
God is patient, God is kind. God does not envy, God does not boast,
God is not proud. God is not rude, God is not self-seeking, God is not
easily angered, God keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
God never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,
they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we
prophesy in part, but when perfection comes [when
Christ returns], the imperfect disappears. 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 put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we
shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and God. But the greatest of these is God.
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