1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians Chapter 13, Explained
First Corinthians 13 is the famous love chapter, often read at weddings but written to a divided church. Paul says that without love, everything else is empty: eloquent speech, mountain moving faith, even great sacrifice count for nothing if love is missing. Love is not a nice addition to the Christian life; it is the very heart of it.
Then he defines love not as a feeling but as a way of acting. Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast, is not proud or rude or self seeking, keeps no record of wrongs, and rejoices in the truth. It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. Gifts will pass away, but faith, hope, and love remain, and the greatest of these is love.
Key verses from 1 Corinthians 13
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”
1 Corinthians 13:4
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
The main point
First Corinthians 13 is about love as the enduring heart of everything, without which nothing else matters.
How 1 Corinthians 13 points to Jesus
The love this chapter describes is a portrait of Jesus. He is patient and kind, keeps no record of wrongs, and bears and endures all things, loving us all the way to the cross. He is love in person, and He teaches us to love like this.
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Read 1 Corinthians 13 with its meaning · The book of 1 Corinthians: summary · All chapter guides