1 If I could speak all the human and angelic tongues, but was given no love, I would only be sounding brass or clanging cymbals.
2 If I had prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing.
3 If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even gave up my own body, but only to receive praise and not through love, it would be of no value to me.
4 Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest.
5 Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses.
6 It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth.
7 Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge disappear.
9 For knowledge grasps the truth imperfectly and prophecy as well.
10 And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away.
11 When I was a child I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I gave up childish ways.
12 Likewise, at present we see dimly as in a faulty mirror, but then we shall see face to face. Now we know in part, but then I will know Him as He knows me.
13 Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
If I could speak... if I had... To love is more important than performing miracles, more important than doing great things for others and dying for a cause, all of which can be done without love.
Love will never end. Love is the only thing that we shall take with us on passing to a better life. Only on the measure of love in our life shall we be judged.
When I was a child (v. 11). This comparison tells us that our life of faith is only a preparation and prelude to what we shall be in Heaven. Heaven is to see God face to face. Then, everything we have now will vanish and only love will remain. In the measure that we are able to love God and our neighbor in the present life, in that measure shall we share, after resurrection, the Glory of God, face to face.
Faith, hope, love (v. 13). Paul quite often joins these three "virtues," that is the three movements in the Christian soul. In no other place does he state this more clearly than here. There is no authentic love without faith and hope.
The greatest of the three is love. Sometimes this sentence is used to misrepresent what is essential to Christian life. For many say, "I do good to my neighbor, what else does God ask of me?" But it would not be difficult to prove that such love is very limited, selfish and impure. This "love" is unable to transfigure our life making us the transparence of Christ. Love will be everything when it reaches its perfection, that is, when we see God: I will know Him as He knows me. As long as we do not see God, love is immature; this is the time when love must grow through faith and the knowledge of God's word; also through hope and perseverance as we follow Jesus poor, free and in the midst of trials.
2 If I had prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing.
3 If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even gave up my own body, but only to receive praise and not through love, it would be of no value to me.
4 Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest.
5 Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses.
6 It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth.
7 Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge disappear.
9 For knowledge grasps the truth imperfectly and prophecy as well.
10 And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away.
11 When I was a child I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I gave up childish ways.
12 Likewise, at present we see dimly as in a faulty mirror, but then we shall see face to face. Now we know in part, but then I will know Him as He knows me.
13 Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
If I could speak... if I had... To love is more important than performing miracles, more important than doing great things for others and dying for a cause, all of which can be done without love.
Love will never end. Love is the only thing that we shall take with us on passing to a better life. Only on the measure of love in our life shall we be judged.
When I was a child (v. 11). This comparison tells us that our life of faith is only a preparation and prelude to what we shall be in Heaven. Heaven is to see God face to face. Then, everything we have now will vanish and only love will remain. In the measure that we are able to love God and our neighbor in the present life, in that measure shall we share, after resurrection, the Glory of God, face to face.
Faith, hope, love (v. 13). Paul quite often joins these three "virtues," that is the three movements in the Christian soul. In no other place does he state this more clearly than here. There is no authentic love without faith and hope.
The greatest of the three is love. Sometimes this sentence is used to misrepresent what is essential to Christian life. For many say, "I do good to my neighbor, what else does God ask of me?" But it would not be difficult to prove that such love is very limited, selfish and impure. This "love" is unable to transfigure our life making us the transparence of Christ. Love will be everything when it reaches its perfection, that is, when we see God: I will know Him as He knows me. As long as we do not see God, love is immature; this is the time when love must grow through faith and the knowledge of God's word; also through hope and perseverance as we follow Jesus poor, free and in the midst of trials.
Wow, I'm not religious but I love to read bible verses.... thanks for sharing...
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thanks for your comment at my blog. and thanks for this verse. I appreciate it very much. Love conquers all. Love can move mountain that for sure! Amen.
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