English Standard Version
1 Corinthians 13:12
12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For 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.
- New International Version (NIV)For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:12
10but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13:12 word by word
βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι᾽ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον· ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- nowἄρτιarti · nowG737
- we seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- a glassἔσοπτρονesoptron · mirrorG2072
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- darklyαἴνιγμαainigma · obscure thingG135
- butδέde · thenG1161
- thenτότεtote · thenG5119
- faceπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- I knowγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- inἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- partμέροςmeros · partG3313
- shall I knowἐπιγινώσκωepiginōskō · to come to knowG1921
- even asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:12
- 2 Corinthians 3:18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 5:7for we walk by faith, not by sight.
- Philippians 3:12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
- James 1:23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
- Judges 14:12And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes,
- Ezekiel 17:2"Son of man, propound a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
- Exodus 33:11Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
- Numbers 12:8With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
- Matthew 5:8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Matthew 18:10"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
- Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
- 1 John 3:2Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
- Revelation 22:4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
- 1 Corinthians 13:9For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
- John 10:15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Now we see through a glass, darkly - ' . Of these words some literal explanation is necessary. The word which we translate a glass, literally signifies a mirror or reflector, from , into, and , I look; and among the ancients mirrors were certainly made of fine polished metal. The word here may signify any thing by which the image of a person is reflected, as in our looking, or look in glass. The word is not used for a glass to look through; nor would such…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For now we see through a glass - Paul here makes use of another illustration to show the imperfection of our knowledge here. Compared with what it will be in the future world, it is like the imperfect view of an object which we have in looking through an obscure and opaque medium compared with the view which we have when we look at it “face to face.” The word “glass” here ( ̓ esoptron) means properly a mirror, a looking-glass. The mirrors of the ancients…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 Charity is much to be preferred to the gifts on which the Corinthians prided themselves. From its longer continuance. It is a grace, lasting as eternity. The present state is a state of childhood, the future that of manhood. Such is the difference between earth and heaven. What narrow views, what confused notions of things, have children when compared with grown men! Thus shall we think of our most valued gifts of this world, when we come to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The difference between now and the future is between this age and the coming age. Now, we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror. In Paul's time, mirrors were usually made of polished bronze, so the view was unclear. Our perception in this life is limited, and our understanding is incomplete. Then, when the end comes and Christ establishes his eternal kingdom, we will see everything clearly. At that time, the spiritual gifts that…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. now--in our present state. see--an appropriate expression, in connection with the "prophets" of seers (1Sa 9:9). through a glass--that is, in a mirror; the reflection seeming to the eye to be behind the mirror, so that we see it through the mirror. Ancient mirrors were made of polished brass or other metals. The contrast is between the inadequate knowledge of an object gained by seeing it reflected in a dim mirror (such as ancient mirrors were)…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:12
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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