13 Even if I could speak in human languages as well as the languages of God’s messengers, but didn’t love others, then I’d just be like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if have the ability of being able to prophesy and could understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I had total faith so I could tell mountains to move, but I didn’t love others, then I’m of no use to anyone.[ref] 3 Even if I gave everything I have to the poor, and even sacrifice my body so that I could boast, but didn’t love others, it wouldn’t be any use to me.

4 Love is patient and kind. It doesn’t envy others, it doesn’t boast, and it isn’t arrogant. 5 It isn’t crude, it doesn’t just care about itself, it doesn’t get angry quickly, and it doesn’t keep records about who wrongs us. 6 Love isn’t happy with disobeying God, but is happy about the truth. 7 It tolerates everything, believes everything, is always hopeful about everything, and always perseveres.

8 Love never fails, unlike prophecies that will come to nothing, languages that will die out, and knowledge that also will come to nothing, 9 because we only have partial knowledge and partial understanding of prophecy. 10 So when perfection comes, partial things will disappear.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child, but then when I became an adult, I set childish things aside. 12 In this present age, we see like fuzzy reflections in a mirror, but in the future, we’ll see God face to face. In this age, I have partial knowledge, but then it’ll be complete, just like we’ll be known completely.

13 But for now, these three continue: faith, hope, and love, but love is the greatest one of those.