1 Corinthians · chapter 13 of 16
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1 Corinthians 13 is the so-called hymn to love. Paul affirms that without love the most impressive gifts, even personal sacrifice, are worth nothing. He describes what love looks like in practice, explains that unlike the gifts love never ends and concludes that faith, hope and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
This chapter sits in the middle of Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts, between chapters 12 and 14. The Corinthians prized spectacular gifts, and Paul shows them the more excellent way he promised. It is not an isolated poem: it is a pastoral correction to a church that had gifts in abundance and little love.
Paul begins with three statements. Though he speaks in the tongues of men and of angels, if he has not love, he is a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Though he has prophetic powers, understands all mysteries and all knowledge, and has all faith to move mountains, if he has not love, he is nothing. And though he gives away all he has to the poor and surrenders his body to be burned, if he has not love, he gains nothing.
He then describes love with a series of traits. Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends, whereas prophecies will pass away, tongues will cease and knowledge will pass away. For now we know in part and prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. Paul compares this to childhood: when he was a child he spoke, thought and reasoned like a child, but when he became a man he put childish ways behind him. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
The chapter ends by saying that now faith, hope and love abide, and the greatest of these is love.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Even if someone speaks in the tongues of men and of angels, without love he is only noise. Paul corrects those who admired the gift of tongues without caring for their fellow believers.
Love is patient and kind, does not envy, does not boast and does not insist on its own way. These are concrete traits that can be observed in daily life, more than feelings.
Love never ends, while prophecies, tongues and knowledge will pass away. What God gives in the church is temporary; love is eternal because it reflects God's character.
Now we see dimly, but one day we will see face to face and know fully. In the meantime faith, hope and love abide, and the greatest is love.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: A noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. — 1 Corinthians 13:1
Answer: Patient and kind. — 1 Corinthians 13:4
Answer: In the truth, not in wrongdoing. — 1 Corinthians 13:6
Answer: Prophecies, tongues and knowledge. — 1 Corinthians 13:8
Answer: Seeing in a mirror dimly, until we see face to face. — 1 Corinthians 13:12
Answer: Love is the greatest of the three. — 1 Corinthians 13:13
1 Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings, but it was written for a church in conflict. It is useful to read it in a group and name the times we have been impatient, envious or resentful, and ask God to change us.
The chapter also protects the life of the church. Before seeking more visible gifts, it helps to ask whether our service springs from love. A Sunday school class can be technically excellent and still empty if there is no genuine care for people. Love is tested in everyday things: how we speak, wait and forgive.
1 Corinthians 13 makes clear that love is the standard for using all gifts. Chapter 14 returns to worship and applies this truth: gifts, especially prophecy and tongues, must be used in an orderly way to build up the church.
Christians understand it in different ways. Many think it refers to Christ's return and the fullness of the kingdom, when we will know fully. Others relate it to the maturity of the church or the completion of revelation. The context, with its image of face to face, points mostly to life with God in its fullness.
No. Paul writes to a divided congregation, not to a couple. The traits of love apply to relationships among believers, and so they also fit marriage, family and friendship, but their original context is the life of the church.
It does not mean being naive in the face of deceit, but being willing to trust and think the best of others as long as it is reasonable. It is an attitude of good faith that does not constantly suspect or condemn without evidence.