E.
The excellent way for exercising the gifts
13:1-13
1.
The need of love
vv. 1-3
1 Cor. 13
:1
13:1
If I speak in the
atongues of men and of angels but do not have
blove, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1 Cor. 13
:2
13:2
And if I have
the gift of aprophecy and know all
bmysteries and all
cknowledge, and if I have all
dfaith so as to
eremove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1 Cor. 13
:3
13:3
And if I
adole out all my possessions to feed
others, and if I
1deliver up my
bbody 2that I may boast, but do not have love, I profit nothing.
2.
The definition of love
vv. 4-7
1 Cor. 13
:4
13:4
1aLove bsuffers long. Love is kind; it is not
cjealous. Love does not
dbrag and is not
epuffed up;
1 Cor. 13
:5
13:5
It does not behave unbecomingly
and does not
aseek its own things; it is not provoked
and does not take account of evil;
1 Cor. 13
:6
13:6
It does
anot rejoice because of unrighteousness, but
brejoices with the
1ctruth;
1 Cor. 13
:7
13:7
It 1acovers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
3.
The excelling of love
vv. 8-13
1 Cor. 13
:8
13:8
aLove 1never falls
away. But whether
bprophecies, they will be rendered useless; or
ctongues, they will cease; or
dknowledge, it will be rendered useless.
1 Cor. 13
:9
13:9
For we
aknow in part, and we prophesy in part;
1 Cor. 13
:10
13:10
But 1when that which is
2complete comes,
3that which is in part will be rendered useless.
1 Cor. 13
:11
13:11
1When I was a
2achild, I spoke as a child, I thought as a
bchild, I
3reasoned as a child;
4since I have become a man, I have done away with childish things.
1 Cor. 13
:12
13:12
For 1now we see
2in a
amirror 3obscurely, but at
4that time
bface to face;
1now I
cknow in part, but at
4that time I will fully
dknow even as also I was fully known.
1 Cor. 13
:13
13:13
Now there abide
1afaith,
bhope,
clove, these three; and the greatest of these is
dlove.
