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:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< 1 Corinthians 13:2

1 Corinthians 13:4 >>

Bestow to feed (Ywmisw). First aorist active subjunctive of ywmizw, to feed, to nourish, from ywmov, morsel or bit, and so to feed, by putting a morsel into the mouth like infant (or bird). Old word, but only here in N.T.

To be burned (ina kauqhswmai). First future passive subjunctive (Textus Receptus), but D kauqhsomai (future passive indicative of kaiw, old word to burn). There were even some who courted martyrdom in later years (time of Diocletian). This Byzantine future subjunctive does not occur in the old MSS. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 876). Aleph A B here read kauxhswmai, first aorist middle subjunctive of kauxaomai (so Westcott and Hort), "that I may glory." This is correct.

It profiteth me nothing (ouden wfeloumai). Literally, I am helped nothing. Ouden in the accusative case retained with passive verb. See two accusatives with wfelew in I Corinthians 14:6. Verb is old and from ofelov (profit).

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Corinthians 13:3:**

Romans 12:20
1 Corinthians 14:6

<< 1 Corinthians 13:2

1 Corinthians 13:4 >>

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