New International Version
1 Corinthians 13:8
8Love 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:8
6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 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. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
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 completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1If 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.
- 1 Corinthians 12:10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
- 1 Corinthians 14:39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
- Acts 2:4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
- Acts 19:6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
- Jeremiah 49:7Concerning Edom: This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?
- Hebrews 8:13By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated 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
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