1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Lesson 332

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Lesson 332

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Chapter 13, the love chapter.

The characteristics of love (13:4-8a).
Love will last forever (13:8b)
Love is the greatest gift (12:13).

Love is -

"The premier teaching of Christianity. A undying expression of Jesus' doctrine of heavenly love. More potent for the building of the church than any, or all, of the various manifestations of God's power. Love, the church's most effective weapon. Love, without which all the various gifts of the Spirit are of no avail. Love, the essence of God's nature. Love, the perfection of human character. Love, the most powerful ultimate force in the universe.

Even if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, even if I give my body to be burned, if I have not love, it profits me nothing (13:3). What a thought-provoking passage. The gift of speaking like an angel, of prophesying, of having all knowledge, of faith that moves mountains, of charity to the last dollar, even martyrdom, all of no use unless we have the spirit of Christian love. What a call to self-examination!"

Henry Hampton Halley (1874-1965).

Study Tip:

Read both the Old and New Testaments.

"Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."
Aiden Wilson Tozer (1897-1963).

The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Corinthians

The King James Bible

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
The Characteristics of love

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.

Margin notes:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men." (13:1) - "Even if I could speak all the languages known to mankind."

"Charity." (13:1) - Means love. See "Today's Question" below.

"Have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." (13:1) - "If I don't have love, I would be a mere sounding gong or a tinkling cymbal."

"Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." (13:2) - "Even if I had faith enough to move mountains, if I don't have love, I am nothing."

"Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor...it profiteth me nothing" (13:3) - Our good works cannot save us.

"Charity suffereth long." (13:4) - "Love is patient."

"Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." (13:4) - "Love does not boast and is not vain."

"Rejoiceth not in iniquity." (13:6) - Means don't find pleasure in evil.

"Beareth all things." (13:7) - Love can bear anything.

"Charity never faileth." (13:8) - In this life and the next, love conquers all.

"Prophecies, they shall fail;...tongues, they shall cease;...knowledge, it shall vanish." (13:8) - Prophecies, languages, and worldly knowledge will not be needed in heaven.

"For we know in part." (13:9) - When it comes to the ways of God, we only know part of the facts.

"When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." (13:10) - "When perfection comes, then partial things (like spiritual gifts) will be done away with." There will be no need for spiritual gifts when we're with God, sharing His knowledge, and seeing things clearly (see verse 13:12).

"We see through a glass, darkly." (13:12) - "We see through a dark, blurry mirror." Today, we do not see the way of God clearly.

"Face to face." (13:12) - When we are face to face with God, "we shall see Him as He is," and "we shall be like Him" (1 John 3:2).

"Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (12:12) - "Now I know only part, but later (in heaven) I will know everything, just as God knows me."

New Living Translation

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love Is the Greatest

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.

3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud

5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!

10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.

11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

13 Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. What is meant by charity (13:1)?

Study the word of God daily; the Bible has much to teach us.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. The word charity, meaning love, is translated from the Greek word "agape." The Greeks had several words for love. One described the feelings between a parent and child, one for the passion shared by a loving couple, another for the feelings among friends.  "In secular Greek, (agape) represented a love in which the mind analyzes and the will chooses the object to be loved. Thus it is not a term wholly given to emotion, but it involves the whole man, emotions, intellect, and will.  (Agape) is a deliberate, free act that is the decision of the subject rather than the result of unbidden, overpowering emotion."   Donald W. Burdick, The Letters of John the Apostle (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985; page 140)

Because God is love, the closer we draw to God, the more love we show to others. Without love as the motivator for using our God-given gifts, they are ineffective in our hands (8:1).


Application thought for the day:

If the traits of love outlined in verses 13:4-7 are hard to apply to your life, ask God for help.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2022 evolke

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