Notes, Quotes and Comments: 1 Corinthians Chapters 13 and 14 Verses

The verses about love which are found in the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13:1 up to 1 Corinthians 14:1) are among the well-known and most quoted passages in the Bible. These verses tell exactly what love is and what love is not. The main theme of the verses is quite simple but it is also quite profound: All thoughts and actions must be based on love.

The use of language without love is noise at best. It can result in oppression and violence. The use of prophecy without love is corruption. The use of knowledge and understanding without love is pride and egotism. The devil is full of knowledge and understanding but he is without love. He is damned, eternally. And the use of faith without love is nothing more than magic spells or sorcery. At worst, it is satanic witchcraft.

Love is not rude; it is not selfish and greedy. It thrives on sharing. It is not egotistic and irritable; it does not demand its own way nor does it plot evil. Rather, love is patient and kind; it listens, and it seeks to understand and to empathize and to find solutions to the problem. It is joyful when it is triumphant and it rejoices when someone else is triumphant; it thrives on justice for all.

Love is faithful and hopelessly hopeful; it endures. It sees every life situation as an opportunity to thrive and go on. Prophecies will fail, speaking in tongues will cease and knowledge will vanish – but love remains for God is love.

And God is eternal. 

Quotes and Comments: Corinthians Verses about Love

Bible Verse: “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.” (1 Corinthians 13:1 / KJV)

Comment: The Language of Noise and 1 Corinthians 13:1

Bible Verse: “And 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.” (1 Corinthians 13:2 / KJV)

Comment: Gifts Down the Drain and 1 Corinthians 13:2

Bible Verse: “Charity [Love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up….” (1 Corinthians 13:4 / KJV)

Comment: Love is Kind, Patient and Humble and 1 Corinthians 13:4

Bible Verse: “[Charity] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” (1 Corinthians 13:5 / KJV)

Comment: Love is Not Rude, Greedy & One-way and 1 Corinthians 13:5

Bible Verses: “… [Charity] thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:5-6 / KJV)

Comment: Love is Justice for All and 1 Corinthians 13:5-6

Bible Verses: “[Charity] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 / KJV)

Comment: Faithful, Enduring, Confident Love and 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

Bible Verse: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 / KJV)

Comment: God is… the Greatest and 1 Corinthians 13:13

Bible Verse: “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1 / KJV)

Comment: Follow the Way of Love and 1 Corinthians 14:1

Note: This is a first revision of the original article.