13:1 What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. |
13:2 What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. |
13:3 What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. |
13:4 Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or |
13:5 rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. |
13:6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. |
13:7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. |
13:8 Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. |
13:9 We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. |
13:10 But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. |
13:11 When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. |
13:12 Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. |
13:13 For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. |