God’s Word Translation
1 Corinthians 13:8
8Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used.
1 Corinthians 13:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Charity 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:8
6It isn’t happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. 7Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up. Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used. 9Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete. 10But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 131 Corinthians 13:8 word by word
ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει.¶ Εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις, καταργηθήσεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Charityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Charityἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
- neverοὐδέποτεoudepote · neverG3763
- failethἐκπίπτωekpiptō · to fall outG1601
- butδέde · thenG1161
- whetherεἴτεeite · whetherG1535
- propheciesπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
- they shall failκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673
- tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
- they shall ceaseπαύωpauō · to ceaseG3973
- knowledgeγνῶσιςgnōsis · knowledgeG1108
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 13:8
- 1 Corinthians 13:10But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used.
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples.”
- Galatians 5:6As far as our relationship to Christ Jesus is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we are circumcised or not. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal.
- 1 Corinthians 12:10Another can work miracles. Another can speak what God has revealed. Another can tell the difference between spirits. Another can speak in different kinds of languages. Another can interpret languages.
- 1 Corinthians 14:39So, brothers and sisters, desire to speak what God has revealed, and don’t keep anyone from speaking in other languages.
- Acts 2:4All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
- Acts 19:6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came to them, and they began to talk in other languages and to speak what God had revealed.
- Jeremiah 49:7This is what the Lord of Armies says about Edom: Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman? Has wisdom disappeared from your people? Has their wisdom vanished?
- Hebrews 8:13God made this new promise and showed that the first promise was outdated. What is outdated and aging will soon disappear.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 13:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8(16.) Charity never faileth - ̔ · This love never falleth off, because it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things; and while it does so it cannot fail; it is the means of preserving all other graces; indeed, properly speaking, it includes them all; and all receive their perfection from it. Love to God and man can never be dispensed with. It is essential to social and religious life; without it no communion can be kept up with God; nor can any man…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Charity never faileth - Paul here proceeds to illustrate the value of love, from its “permanency” as compared with other valued endowments. It is valuable, and is to be sought because it will always abide; may be always exercised; is adapted to all circumstances, and to all worlds in which we may be placed, or in which we may dwell. The word rendered “faileth” ( ̓́ ekpiptei) denotes properly to fall out of, to fall from or off; and may be applied to the…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. 8Love will last forever, because God is love (compare 1 John 4:7–12, 16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. never faileth--never is to be out of use; it always holds its place. shall fail ... vanish away--The same Greek verb is used for both; and that different from the Greek verb for "faileth." Translate, "Shall be done away with," that is, shall be dispensed with at the Lord's coming, being superseded by their more perfect heavenly analogues; for instance, knowledge by intuition. Of "tongues," which are still more temporary, the verb is "shall cease." A…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 13:8
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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