1 Corinthians 13

Chapter 13

Paul discusses the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

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

 2 And though I have the gift of ^aprophecy, and understand all^bmysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

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

 4 ^aCharity ^bsuffereth long, and is ^ckind; charity ^denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 5 Doth not behave itself ^aunseemly, ^bseeketh not her own, is not easily ^cprovoked, thinketh no evil;

 6 Rejoiceth not in ^ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the ^btruth;

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

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

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

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

 11 When 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.

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

 13 And now abideth ^afaith, ^bhope, ^ccharity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.