1 Corinthians 13 (AMPC) “The Love Chapter”

1 Corinthians 13 (AMPC) is one of the most famous chapters in the New Testament, often referred to as the "Love Chapter." It has been used in countless sermons and wedding ceremonies due to its deep and thorough exploration of love's nature.

Verse 1 - “IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Here, Paul is emphasizing that without love, even the most remarkable spiritual abilities or gifts are meaningless. The ability to speak in tongues (different languages, including possibly heavenly ones) is of no value if not underpinned by love.

Verse 2 - “And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).”

Paul extends this idea to other gifts, such as prophecy, understanding mysteries, possessing knowledge, and even faith that could move mountains. He argues that these extraordinary capabilities, devoid of love, are empty and make a person "a useless nobody."

Verse 3 - “Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.”

Paul presents the case of someone who gives away all they have and even sacrifices their own body. Without love, such sacrifices are worthless. Thus, Paul emphasizes that acts of giving or sacrifice, if not motivated by love, gain nothing.

Verse 4 - “Love endures long andis patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.”

In this verse, Paul begins to describe the attributes of love. Love is patient, kind, and not envious. He emphasizes the selflessness of love and how it does not boast or display itself haughtily.

Verse 5 - “It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].”

Love is not arrogant, rude, or insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. Love does not take account of wrongs done to it, showing its forgiving nature.

Verse 6 - “It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.”

Love does not rejoice at injustice but celebrates truth. This again illustrates the righteous and virtuous nature of love.

Verse 7 - “Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].”

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. This verse paints love as an incredibly strong, resilient, and hopeful force.

Verse 8 - “Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].” 

Paul asserts that love never ends, distinguishing it from other gifts like prophecy, tongues, and knowledge, which will all come to an end. This highlights the eternal nature of love.

Verse 9-10 - “For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).” 

Our current knowledge and prophecies are imperfect, but when the perfect comes (interpreted as the return of Christ and His kingdom), these will become obsolete. The imperfect will give way to the perfect, and our limited understanding will be replaced by complete comprehension.

Verse 11 - “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.”

 Paul uses the analogy of growth from childhood to adulthood to illustrate the maturation of our understanding of God and His truths.

Verse 12 - “For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].”

Paul acknowledges our limited understanding in the present (like seeing a dim reflection in a mirror), but assures that in the end, we will know fully (see face to face). This refers to the fullness of understanding we will have in God's presence.

Verse 13 - “And so faith, hope, love abide [faith–conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope–joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love–true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 

The chapter concludes by affirming the enduring qualities of faith, hope, and love. Among these virtues, Paul proclaims love as the greatest. This underscores the central role of love in Christian life and its supremacy even over other cardinal virtues. Love, as described here, is the essential characteristic of God and should be the defining attribute of His followers.

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