1 Corinthians

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1I could speak every language on earth, and the language of angels too. If I do not have love, I am nothing but a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.

Note"Charity" here is the Greek word agape, which means love. The English word narrowed to mean almsgiving long after 1611, so the King James wording now points readers somewhere the original never did.

2And 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.

2I could have the gift of telling what is coming, and understand every secret, and know everything there is to know. I could have enough faith to move a mountain out of the way. Without love, I am nothing.

3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

3I could give away everything I own to feed hungry people, and even hand over my own body to be burned. Without love, none of it does me any good at all.

4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

4Love is patient for a long time, and it is kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, and it does not think too highly of itself.

5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

5It is not rude. It does not insist on getting its own way. It does not lose its temper easily, and it does not keep a list of the wrongs done to it.

6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

6Love takes no pleasure in what is wrong. It is glad when the truth wins.

7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

7Love puts up with anything. It keeps trusting, keeps hoping, and keeps going no matter what comes.

8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

8Love never comes to an end. Predictions will stop. Speaking in other languages will stop. Even knowledge will run out.

9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

9What we know now is only a piece of the whole thing, and what we say about what is coming is only a piece too.

10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

10But when the complete thing arrives, the pieces will not be needed anymore.

11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

11When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I grew up, I left the childish things behind.

12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

12Right now it is like looking at a blurry reflection in an old metal mirror. One day we will see clearly, face to face. Right now I only know a part of it. One day I will know it fully, the way God already knows me fully.

Note"Through a glass, darkly" is not a window. Corinth was famous for making mirrors out of polished bronze, which gave a real but dim and warped reflection.

13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

13Three things last: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of the three is love.