If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have 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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I.
The function of 1 Cor 13 within the discussion of spiritual gifts is to relativize all the charisms by contrasting them with the more basic, pervasive, and enduring value that gives them their purpose and their effectiveness. The rhetoric of this chapter is striking. 1 Corinthians 13, often referred to as the "Love Chapter", is a seminal passage in the New Testament that powerfully underlines the primacy of love.
Penned by Paul, this chapter succinctly portrays love's enduring and eternal nature, underscoring its preeminence over all spiritual gifts. Historical Setting in Corinth. Read the full chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.
Learn about the meaning and significance of love, faith, and hope in this famous passage. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 KJV (King James Version)1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all. 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Learn the meaning and significance of agape love, the supreme virtue that surpasses all spiritual gifts, in 1 Corinthians 13. Explore the contrast between agape and other kinds of love, and the examples of how to love in the context of the church. First Corinthians 13, probably best known as the Bible's "Love Chapter," offers concise, vivid insights into what it means to love.
But 1 Corinthians 13 also describes some of the ways fervent faith can go awry. It notes that even an apostle-and we ourselves such-only partially, barely understands the ways of life and God. And "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13".
The Greatest Gift - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give.
Read 1 Corinthians 13 in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) online. Study, search, compare Bible versions, and comment, as well as saving notes and sharing animated Bible verse images.