Love — 1 Corinthians 13

PaulLoveCorinthians

The greatest of these

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul writes the Bible's most beautiful description of love (Greek agape). Without love, he says, every gift and sacrifice is worthless.

What love is

Love suffers long and is kind
Love envies not, is not puffed up
Love seeks not her own, is not easily provoked
Love beareth, believeth, hopeth and endureth all things
Love never fails — it outlasts everything

Application

Re-read verses 4-7 and replace the word “charity” with your own name. Where does it ring true? Where do you fall short? Let it shape how you treat others this week.

Reflection

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” — 1 Corinthians 13:13

Key verses (6)

1 Corinthians 13:1

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.

Without love, only noise

1 Corinthians 13:4

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Love suffers long, is kind

1 Corinthians 13:5

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Love seeks not her own

1 Corinthians 13:7

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

Beareth, believeth, hopeth, endureth

1 Corinthians 13:8

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.

Charity never faileth

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The greatest of these is charity