Love

1 Corinthians 13 — slowly

Paul’s famous chapter on love has been read at countless weddings, but it was not written for weddings. It was written for a church that was arguing about which spiritual gifts were most important. Paul’s answer, quietly, was: none of them matters without love.

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.
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. 1 Corinthians 13:1–2 (KJV)

The King James Version uses the word “charity” here for what modern translations render as “love.” The Greek word is agape — a chosen, self-giving love. Not a feeling that comes and goes, but a decision that reshapes a person over time.

Paul’s description of love, one phrase at a time

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (KJV)

• Suffereth long — patient when we are not appreciated.
• Is kind — active goodness, not just polite restraint.
• Envieth not — celebrates the good in others without measuring.
• Vaunteth not itself — does not need to be the center of attention.
• Seeketh not her own — the surest sign of maturity in any relationship.
• Is not easily provoked — slow to take offense, quick to forgive.
• Thinketh no evil — does not keep a running tally of wrongs.
• Beareth, believeth, hopeth, endureth all things — the four verbs of a love that stays.

Key verses on love (KJV)

• “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”

  — 1 John 4:7 (KJV)

• “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

  — John 13:34 (KJV)

• “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

  — 1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)

• “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

  — 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)

• “We love him, because he first loved us.”

  — 1 John 4:19 (KJV)

• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

  — John 3:16 (KJV)

• “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

  — John 15:13 (KJV)

• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

  — Romans 5:8 (KJV)

• “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”

  — 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

• “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God.”

  — Romans 8:38–39 (KJV)

• “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”

  — 1 John 3:1 (KJV)

• “Let all your things be done with charity.”

  — 1 Corinthians 16:14 (KJV)

God is love

The most extraordinary sentence in this whole conversation is not one of Paul’s. It is John’s: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Not merely that God has love, or shows love, but that love is His nature. This is the reason Christian love is possible at all. We love because we were loved first (1 John 4:19).

See also Forgiveness, Christian Living, and Jesus’ Teachings.