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1 Corinthians 13

13 verses

TL;DR

Paul emphasizes that love (charity) is supreme over all spiritual gifts and will endure beyond them.

Summary

Paul begins by contrasting the power of speaking in tongues or prophesying with the lack of love, illustrating that without love even the most impressive gifts are empty. He continues by showing that giving to the poor and sacrificing oneself also prove meaningless without love. The chapter then lists the qualities of love: patient, kind, humble, and selfless, and it delights in truth while enduring all circumstances. Paul explains that love will never fail, whereas prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are temporary and will cease when the perfect comes. He recalls his own childish understanding and vows to abandon childishness as he matures. Finally, he states that faith, hope, and love remain, with love being the greatest of the three.

Outline
  1. 1. Love outweighs all spiritual gifts
  2. 2. Defining characteristics of love
  3. 3. Love’s enduring nature versus temporary gifts
Themes
The supremacy of loveHuman limitation versus divine completenessGrowth from childishness to maturity
Keywords
lovecharityfaithhopeprophecytonguesknowledgetruthperfectionchildhood
People
Paul
Places
Things
Love (charity)FaithHopeProphecyTonguesKnowledgeTruthPerfection
Key Verses
  • 1 Corinthians 13:1: Shows that even the most powerful spiritual gifts lack meaning without love.
  • 1 Corinthians 13:4: Outlines the essential attributes that define love.
  • 1 Corinthians 13:13: Affirms that love, faith, and hope remain, with love as the greatest.
Questions
  • What practical steps can I take to demonstrate love in my daily interactions?
  • How does Paul’s portrayal of love challenge my current priorities?
  • In what ways does understanding the temporary nature of gifts influence my spiritual growth?
  • Can I identify moments where I have spoken in tongues or prophesied but lacked love?
  • How does love’s endurance relate to my hope and faith?
Sentiment

positive
Encouraging and affirming the enduring value of love.