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Summary

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 – Without Love, I Am Nothing

What happens: Paul says that tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, generosity, and sacrifice mean nothing without love.

What it means: God values the heart more than impressive acts. Love reflects his holy, self-giving nature. Gifts without love fail the purpose of God.


1 Corinthians 13:4–7 – What Love Is and Does

What happens: Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast. It rejoices with the truth, bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things.

What it means: Love reflects God’s faithful, truthful character. Holiness looks like everyday kindness and endurance. Truth and love belong together in Christian life.


1 Corinthians 13:8–13 – What Lasts Forever

What happens: Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge pass away when the perfect comes. Now we know in part, but then face to face. Faith, hope, and love remain, and the greatest is love.

What it means: Gifts serve a temporary purpose, but love shares God’s eternal nature. Our partial sight calls for humility. God’s future shapes present priorities.


Application

  • Pursue love above every gift or achievement.
  • Let kindness, patience, and truth guide your speech and service.
  • Hold gifts lightly and people dearly, aiming at what lasts forever.

Bible

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2And 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.

3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

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

11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

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