1If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2If 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. 3If 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.
4Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. 8Love 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. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. 11When 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. 12For 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. 13But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
What’s happening. The Corinthian church was proud of its spiritual gifts, like speaking in tongues and prophecy. Paul places this chapter on love in the middle of his teaching about those gifts.
What it means. Without love, the most impressive gifts are just noise. Even great knowledge, faith that moves mountains, and giving everything away count for nothing without love. Love is not an extra. It is what gives everything else its worth.
What’s happening. Continuing the love chapter. Although it is often read at weddings, Paul wrote it to a quarrelling church.
What it means. Paul describes love by what it does: it is patient and kind, it doesn’t envy or boast, it isn’t rude or self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs, and it always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Many readers notice it is also a portrait of Jesus.
What’s happening. The end of the love chapter. Paul has said that spiritual gifts like prophecy will one day end.
What it means. Right now we see only partly, like a dim reflection in an ancient mirror. One day we will see face to face and know fully. Faith, hope and love remain, and the greatest of these is love, because love will last forever.