1 Corinthians 13

₁What if I could speak

all languages of humans

and of angels?

If I did not love others,

I would be nothing more

than a noisy gong

or a clanging cymbal.

₂What if I could prophesy

and understand all secrets

and all knowledge?

And what if I had faith

that moved mountains?

I would be nothing,

unless I loved others.

₃What if I gave away all

that I owned

and let myself

be burnt alive?

I would gain nothing,

unless I loved others.

₄Love is kind and patient,

never jealous, boastful,

proud, or ₅rude.

Love isn't selfish

or quick-tempered.

It doesn't keep a record

of wrongs that others do.

₆Love rejoices in the truth,

but not in evil.

₇Love is always supportive,

loyal, hopeful,

and trusting.

₈Love never fails!

Everyone who prophesies

will stop,

and unknown languages

will no longer

be spoken.

All that we know

will be forgotten.

₉We don't know everything,

and our prophecies

are not complete.

₁₀But what is perfect

will some day appear,

and what isn't perfect

will then disappear.

₁₁When we were children,

we thought and reasoned

as children do.

But when we grew up,

we stopped our childish ways.

₁₂Now all we can see of God

is like a cloudy picture

in a mirror.

Later we will see him

face to face.

We don't know everything,

but then we will,

just as God completely

understands us.

₁₃For now there are faith,

hope, and love.

But of these three,

the greatest is love.