1 Corinthians 13:8

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 does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

1 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 the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.
• Luke 22:32But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
• Galatians 5:6For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
• 1 Corinthians 12:10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
• 1 Corinthians 14:39So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues.
• Acts 2:4And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
• Acts 19:6Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
• Jeremiah 49:7This message was given concerning Edom. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Is there no wisdom in Teman? Is no one left to give wise counsel?
• Hebrews 8:13When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and 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

• Charitableness
• Graces
• Love
• Miracles
• Readings, Select
• Religion
• Righteousness
• Sanctification
• Tongues (the Gift)

In the dictionaries

• Charity
• Childish
• Love
• Prophesy
• Tongues, Gift of
• Vaunt
• Abstinence
• Busybody
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Dark Sayings

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