If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
And 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 have not love, I am nothing.
And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body {Many ancient authorities read that I may glory.}to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;
rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
{Or, covereth Compare 1 Peter 4:8.}beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.
For now we see in a mirror, {Greek: in a riddle.}darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.
But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the {Greek: greater. Compare Matthew 18:1, 4; 23:11}greatest of these is love.
Querverweise zu 1. Korinther 13,9 1Kor 13,9
For now we see in a mirror, {Greek: in a riddle.}darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.
but as it is written, {Isaiah 64:4; 65:17.}Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,And which entered not into the heart of man,Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.
If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know;
{Or, Canst thou find out the deep things of God?}Canst thou by searching find out God?Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
{Hebrew: The heights of heaven.}It is high as heaven; what canst thou do?Deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?
Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways:And {Or, how little a portion}how small a whisper {Or, is heard}do we hear of him!But the thunder of his {Or, mighty deeds}power who can understand?
Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done,And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; {Or, There is none to be compared unto thee}They cannot be set in order unto thee;If I would declare and speak of them,They are more than can be numbered.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended?Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?Who hath bound the waters in his garment?Who hath established all the ends of the earth?What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings {Greek: unto.}of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.
To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that {Greek: brought good tidings. Compare Matthew 11:5.} preached the gospel unto you {Greek: in.}by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.
Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if {Or, it}he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.