EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Corinthians 13:1
1I may be able to speak many different languages that people or angels speak. But that is worth nothing if I do not love other people. I would only be making a loud noise, like someone who hits a piece of metal.
1 Corinthians 13:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:1
I may be able to speak many different languages that people or angels speak. But that is worth nothing if I do not love other people. I would only be making a loud noise, like someone who hits a piece of metal. 2I may be able to speak messages from God. I may understand all God's secret things, and know all the facts. I may have great faith so that I trust God enough to move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love others. 3I may give all my things to help poor people. I may let other people take my body to burn it. But that would not help me if I do not love others.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13:1 word by word
Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thoughἐάνean · ifG1437
- I speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- with the tonguesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- with the tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
- of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- of angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- andδέde · thenG1161
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- notμήmē · notG3361
- charityἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- I am becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- soundingἠχέωēcheō · to resoundG2278
- brassχαλκόςchalkos · copper/bronze/coinG5475
- orἤē · orG2228
- a tinklingἀλαλάζωalalazō · to wailG214
- cymbalκύμβαλονkumbalon · cymbalG2950
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:1
- 1 Corinthians 13:2I may be able to speak messages from God. I may understand all God's secret things, and know all the facts. I may have great faith so that I trust God enough to move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love others.
- 1 Corinthians 12:8The Spirit helps some people to speak wise messages. Other people can speak messages that help people to know what is true. It is the same Spirit that helps them to do that.
- 1 Corinthians 14:6My Christian friends, if I come to visit you, then I want to help you. But if I speak to you in languages that you do not understand, that will not help you at all. I would need to explain to you what God has shown to me. I would need to help you to understand something. I would need to speak a clear message from God, or teach you something. Only that would help you.
- 2 Peter 2:18The messages that these teachers speak seem very important. But their words really mean nothing. In that way, they lead people away from God. Some people have not been believers for very long. They have only just become free from the wrong things that people do. But the false teachers tell these people to do bad things that will make them happy.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1You asked me a question about food that people have offered to idols. You say, ‘We all know about these things.’ We know that is true. But when you know about something, that can make you proud. Love is better. Love helps people to become strong.
- Matthew 25:45Then the king will reply, “I tell you this: You did not help people who are my friends. They were not important people. But when you did not help them, you also did not help me.”
- Romans 14:15You should not cause another believer to be sad because of what you eat. If you do make him sad, then you are not really loving him. Remember that Christ died on behalf of that person. So do not let your food make him turn away from God.
- Galatians 5:6We belong to Christ Jesus. So it does not matter whether anyone has circumcised us or not. The only thing that matters is that we believe in Christ. As a result we will love others in the way that we live.
- 1 Timothy 1:5We need to teach people to love one another with pure thoughts. They need to be sure in their minds that they are living in a good way. They need to trust God completely.
- 1 Peter 4:8Continue to love each other very much. That is more important than anything else. If you love people, you will forgive them for any wrong things that they have done.
- 1 Corinthians 14:7Think about how people make music with flutes or harps. Those things are not alive. We have to use them to make clear sounds. If we do not use them properly, then nobody can recognize the music.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Though I speak, etc. - At the conclusion of the preceding chapter the apostle promised to show the Corinthians a more excellent way than that in which they were now proceeding. They were so distracted with contentions, divided by parties, and envious of each other's gifts, that unity was nearly destroyed. This was a full proof that love to God and man was wanting; and that without this, their numerous gifts and other graces were nothing in the eyes of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Though I speak with the tongues of men - Though I should be able to speak all the languages which are spoken by people. To speak foreign languages was regarded then, as it is now, as a rare and valuable endowment; compare Virgil, Aeneas vi. 625ff. The word “I” here is used in a popular sense, and the apostle designs to illustrate, as he often does, his idea by a reference to himself, which, it is evident, he wishes to be understood as applying to those…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The necessity and advantage of the grace of love. (1-3) Its excellency represented by its properties and effects; (4-7) and by its abiding, and its superiority. (8-13) Verses 1-3 The excellent way had in view in the close of the former chapter, is not what is meant by charity in our common use of the word, almsgiving, but love in its fullest meaning; true love to God and man. Without this, the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, of no esteem in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1tongues of men and of angels: The Corinthians valued the spiritual gift of tongues the most (see also 12:10, 28; 14:1–25, 27). Some believed tongues were the language of angels. In Acts, Luke uses the same term for natural human languages (see Acts 2:4–13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131Co 13:1-13. Charity or Love Superior to All Gifts. The New Testament psalm of love, as the forty-fifth Psalm (see Psa 45:1, title) and the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament. 1. tongues--from these he ascends to "prophecy" (1Co 13:2); then, to "faith"; then to benevolent and self-sacrificing deeds: a climax. He does not except even himself, and so passes from addressing them ("unto you," 1Co 12:31) to putting the case in his own person, "Though I," &c…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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