1 THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And 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.
3 And 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.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity 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.
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 glass, darkly; 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 faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1Though I speake with the tongues of men & of Angels, and haue not charity, I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal.

2And though I haue the gift of prophesie, and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge: and though I haue all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines, and haue no charitie, I am nothing.

3And though I bestowe all my goods to feede the poore, and though I giue my body to bee burned, and haue not charitie, it profiteth me nothing.

4Charitie suffereth long, and is kinde: charitie enuieth not: charitie vaunteth not it selfe, is not puffed vp,

5Doeth not behaue it selfe vnseemly, seeketh not her owne, is not easily prouoked, thinketh no euill,

6Reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the trueth:

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

8Charitie neuer faileth: but whether there be prophesies, they shall faile; whether there bee tongues, they shall cease; whether there bee knowledge, it shall vanish away.

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

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

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

12For now we see through a glasse, darkely: but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know euen as also I am knowen.

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

This is called the Love  chapter and can stand alone. There are many kinds of love: Puppy love, a temporary youthful infatuation which may be quite real to the “puppy”; Mother love, a devoted bonding, self sacrificing and protective, and maybe gullible concerning faults; True love, harmonious, places the other first, and can be independent of sexual attraction; Passionate love, involves sexuality. This is the Greek  philos  or physical love, compared to agape, or brotherly love.
Here we are treating this chapter as a part of the discussion of spiritual gifts.

I == 1st Cor 14:1 , 39 ; Ps 150"5

II == Matt 7:22 ; 17:20 ; 21:21 ; Mark 11:23 ; Luke 17:6 ; 1st Cor 12:8-10 ; 14:1

III == Matt 6:1-2

IV == Prov 10:12 ; 1st Pet 4:8

V 1st Cor 10:24 : Phil 2:4

VI == Ps 10:3 ; Rom 1:32 ; 2nd John 1:4

VII == Rom 15:1 ; Gal 6:2 ; 2nd Tim 2:24 ; 1st Cor 9:12

IX == 1st Cor 8:2

XII == Matt 18:10 ; 2nd Cor 3:18 ; 5:7 ; Phil 3:12 ; 1st John 3:2

 

 

1 If I speak with the tonques of men and of angels, and have not charity, I have become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing. 4 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envies not, deals not perversely, is not puffed up, 5 is not ambitious, seeks not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinks no evil: 6 Rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices with the truth: 7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Charity never falls away: whether prophecies shall be made void or tonques shall cease orknowledge shall be destroyed. 9 For we know in part: and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall 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 the things of a child. 12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. 13 And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.

v1-3. Three gifts were the most desired by the Corinthians tongues, prophecy, and philanthropic giving. They would attract a lot of attention and bring praise and honor to the one exercising them. However if they are not done in love, they are valueless in the sight of God. Illustrate on chalk board by multiplying any number by 0, giving an answer of 0. Then multiply “ Gifts” by 0, the answer still being 0. Next multiply 5x3 with an answer of 15. Then multiply “Gifts” x “Love” = “Effectiveness.”

v4. Love negatively endures but uses kindness positively. It has no jealous hatred but enjoys another's good fortune. It doesn’t show off, which some of the Corinthians were doing with their gifts. v5.  It does not act in bad taste or seek it’s own advantage. “Easily” was not in the original but may have been inserted in KJV because of King James violent temper. It has no resentments or fits of anger. ASV says takes no account of evil, a business term which means to charge it up to an account. Some add up every grudge or peeve against some one, but love dismisses or takes no account of the wrong.

v6.  Love does not demean and gossip but grieves over the fall of others. It seeks truth whether it is good or evil. v7. He shields with a cover of silence those things which need not be exposed and seeks to believe the best rather than the worst of others. Hopes for the best in those whom he has expressed a belief (a young Christian in his struggles against doubts and temptations). Love has persistence and the ability to take it in the face of ridicule or persecution. v8-10. Prophecy in either sense will one day be fulfilled. Tongues will be unnecessary, and knowledge will be replaced with truth. The Bible was not yet complete then. All things are but fragmentary now, but when God’s entire redemptive plan for mankind is completed, we will have full realization of all things. Perfect is come.........face to face,

v 12, compare 1 John 3:2.v11. Like a child, the Corinthians were immature in their desire to display their gifts. While the gifts were to be recognized and honored, love was the mark of the full grown Christian.

v12. Another contrast between love and the improper use of spiritual gifts is compared to seeing in an imperfect bronze mirror and seeing face to face, as we will one day see God and know Him as He knows us.

v13. Faith, belief in our relationship to God; Hope, confident expectation of eternal salvation; Love, true affection for God and man because of His love for us. Faith and hope look to the future, but after the object of our faith is visible and the goal of our hope has been reached, love will not be outdated. We will be drawn to Christ more than ever before.