1 Corinthians 13:3

1 Corinthians 13:3

The Greatest Gift

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of ^aprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, ^bso that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And ^athough I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body¹ to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 ^aLove suffers long and is ^bkind; love ^cdoes not envy; love does not parade itself, is not¹ puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, ^adoes not seek its own, is not provoked,¹ thinks no evil;

6 ^adoes not rejoice in iniquity, but ^brejoices in the truth;

7 ^abears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

9 ^aFor we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is¹ perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

<< 1 Corinthians 13:2

1 Corinthians 13:4 >>

bestow . . . goods . . . poor—literally, "dole out in food" all my goods; one of the highest functions of the "helps" (I Corinthians 12:28).

give . . . body to be burned—literally, "to such a degree as that I should be burned." As the three youths did (Daniel 3:28), "yielded their bodies" (compare II Corinthians 12:15). These are most noble exemplifications of love in giving and in suffering. Yet they may be without love; in which case the "goods" and "body" are given, but not the soul, which is the sphere of love. Without the soul God rejects all else, and so rejects the man, who is therefore "profited" nothing (Matthew 16:26; Luke 9:23-25). Men will fight for Christianity, and die for Christianity, but not live in its spirit, which is love.

**Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 Corinthians 13:3:**

Song of Solomon 8:7
1 Corinthians 12:1
1 Corinthians 12:31
1 Corinthians 13:1
Galatians 5:22
Colossians 3:14

<< 1 Corinthians 13:2

1 Corinthians 13:4 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.

Join 137,074+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

The Greatest Gift