1 Corinthians, 13

1. Though I command languages both human and angelic -- if I speak without love, I am no more than a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.

1. 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.

2. And though I have the power of prophecy, to penetrate all mysteries and knowledge, and though I have all the faith necessary to move mountains -- if I am without love, I am nothing.

2. And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3. Though I should give away to the poor all that I possess, and even give up my body to be burned -- if I am without love, it will do me no good whatever.

3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4. Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited,

4. Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5. it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances.

5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth.

6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7. It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.

7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8. Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophecies, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will fall silent; and if knowledge, it will be done away with.

8. 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.

9. For we know only imperfectly, and we prophesy imperfectly;

9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10. but once perfection comes, all imperfect things will be done away with.

10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11. When I was a child, I used to talk like a child, and see things as a child does, and think like a child; but now that I have become an adult, I have finished with all childish ways.

11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12. Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. Now I can know only imperfectly; but then I shall know just as fully as I am myself known.

12. 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.

13. As it is, these remain: faith, hope and love, the three of them; and the greatest of them is love.

13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity.