1 Corinthians 13 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Greatest Gift

13 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 (A)prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, (B)so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And (C)though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [a]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 (D)Love suffers long and is (E)kind; love (F)does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not [b]puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, (G)does not seek its own, is not provoked, [c]thinks no evil; 6 (H)does not rejoice in iniquity, but (I)rejoices in the truth; 7 (J)bears 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 (K)For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is [d]perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke 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 (L)now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then (M)face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:3 NU so I may boast
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:4 arrogant
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:5 keeps no accounts of evil
  4. 1 Corinthians 13:10 complete

Cross references

  1. 1 Corinthians 13:2 : Matt. 7:22; 1 Cor. 12:8–10, 28; 14:1
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:2 : Matt. 17:20; 21:21; Mark 11:23; Luke 17:6
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:3 : Matt. 6:1, 2
  4. 1 Corinthians 13:4 : Prov. 10:12; 17:9; 1 Thess. 5:14; [1 Pet. 4:8]
  5. 1 Corinthians 13:4 : Eph. 4:32
  6. 1 Corinthians 13:4 : Gal. 5:26
  7. 1 Corinthians 13:5 : 1 Cor. 10:24; Phil. 2:4
  8. 1 Corinthians 13:6 : Ps. 10:3; Rom. 1:32
  9. 1 Corinthians 13:6 : 2 John 4; 3 John 3
  10. 1 Corinthians 13:7 : Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:24
  11. 1 Corinthians 13:9 : 1 Cor. 8:2; 13:12
  12. 1 Corinthians 13:12 : [2 Cor. 3:18; 5:7]; Phil. 3:12; James 1:23
  13. 1 Corinthians 13:12 : Gen. 32:30; Num. 12:8; Matt. 18:10; [1 John 3:2]

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