The First to the Corinthians 13:1-13
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Love—a surpassing way (1-13)
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal.
2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge,+ and if I have all the faith so as to move* mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.*+
3 And if I give all my belongings to feed others,+ and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love,+ I do not benefit at all.
4 Love+ is patient*+ and kind.+ Love is not jealous.+ It does not brag, does not get puffed up,+
5 does not behave indecently,*+ does not look for its own interests,+ does not become provoked.+ It does not keep account of the injury.*+
6 It does not rejoice over unrighteousness,+ but rejoices with the truth.
7 It bears all things,+ believes all things,+ hopes all things,+ endures all things.+
8 Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues,* they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
9 For we have partial knowledge+ and we prophesy partially,
10 but when what is complete comes, what is partial will be done away with.
11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, to think as a child, to reason as a child; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a child.
12 For now we see in hazy outline* by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face-to-face. At present I know partially, but then I will know accurately,* just as I am accurately known.
13 Now, however, these three remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.+
