1 T hough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

2 A nd though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.

3 A nd though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

4 L ove suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,

5 d oes not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;

6 d oes not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

7 b ears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 L ove never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

9 F or we know in part and we prophesy in part.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

10 B ut when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.

11 W hen I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

12 F or now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.

13 A nd now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.