| 1 | If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such
[a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. |
| 2 | And if I have prophetic powers (
[b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths
and
mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). |
| 3 | Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned
or
[c]
in order that I may glory
, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing. |
| 4 | Love endures long
and
is patient and kind; love never is envious
nor
boils over with jealousy, is not boastful
or
vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. |
| 5 | It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly)
and
does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights
or
its own way,
for
it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy
or
fretful
or
resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. |
| 6 | It does not rejoice at injustice
and
unrighteousness, but rejoices when right
and
truth prevail. |
| 7 | Love bears up under anything
and
everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. |
| 8 | Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (
[d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled
and
pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed
and
cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. |
| 9 | For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). |
| 10 | But when the complete
and
perfect (total) comes, the incomplete
and
imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded). |
| 11 | When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways
and
have put them aside. |
| 12 | For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as
[e]in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality
and
face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know
and
understand
[f]fully
and
clearly, even in the same manner as I have been
[g]fully
and
clearly known
and
understood [
[h]by God]. |
| 13 | And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love. |
|