1 COR 13:1 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

UST Imagine that I could speak many human and angelic languages, but I did not love others. I would be able to make much noise, like a loud metal instrument, but I would not be helping anyone.

BLB If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

AICNT If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

OEB Though I speak in the “tongues” of people, or even of angels, yet have not love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal!

WEBBE If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

LSV If I speak with the tongues of men and of messengers, and do not have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal;

FBV If I were to have eloquence in human languages—even the language of angels—but have no love, then I would only be an echoing gong or a clashing cymbal.

TCNT If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

T4T Supposing we could speak all the various languages [MTY] that people in the world speak and even speak the language that angels speak. If we did not love others, speaking those languages would be as useless as beating a brass gong or clanging cymbals together.

LEB If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a ringing brass gong or a clashing cymbal.

BBE If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.

Moff Thus,
⇔ I may speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
⇔ but if I have no love,
⇔ I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal;

Wymth If I can speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but am destitute of Love, I have but become a loud-sounding trumpet or a clanging cymbal.

ASV If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

DRA If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

YLT If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling;

Drby If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

RV If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

SLT If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I have been the brass of echoes, and the shouting cymbal.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.

KJB-1611 ¶ Though I speake with the tongues of men & of Angels, and haue not charity, I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Though I speake with the tongues of men and of Angels, and haue not loue, I am as soundyng brasse, or as a tincklyng Cimball:
(Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not love, I am as sounding brass, or as a tinckling Cimball:)

Gnva Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels, and haue not loue, I am as sounding brasse, or a tinkling cymbal.
(Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not love, I am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. )

Cvdl Though I spake with the tunges of men and angels, and yet had not loue, I were euen as sowndinge brasse, or as a tynklinge Cymball.
(Though I spake with the tongues of men and angels, and yet had not love, I were even as sowndinge brass, or as a tynklinge Cymball.)

TNT Though I spake with the tonges of me and angels and yet had no love I were even as soundinge brasse: or as a tynklynge Cymball.
(Though I spake with the tongues of me and angels and yet had no love I were even as soundinge brass: or as a tynkling Cymball. )

Wycl If Y speke with tungis of men and of aungels, and Y haue not charite, Y am maad as bras sownynge, or a cymbal tynkynge.
(If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and I have not charity, I am made as brass soundinge, or a cymbal tynking.)

Luth Wenn ich mit Menschen- und mit Engelzungen redete und hätte der Liebe nicht, so wäre ich ein tönend Erz oder eine klingende Schelle.
(When I with people- and with angelzungen talked and would_have the/of_the love(n) not, so were I a tönend ore or a/one klingende Schelle.)

ClVg Si linguis hominum loquar, et angelorum, caritatem autem non habeam, factus sum velut æs sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens.[fn]
(When/But_if tongues/languages of_men I_will_speak, and of_messengers/angels, charity however not/no habeam, became I_am like/as brass sonans, or cymbalum tinniens. )

13.1 Si linguis, etc. Probat hic quod charitas excellentior est: quia alia sine illa non valent, et illa sine istis prodest plurimum. Charitatem autem. Charitas est fons proprius et singularis bonorum cui alienus non communicat. Quæ ut oleum non potest premi in imo, sed superexcellit; quæ si desit, frustra habentur cætera: si adsit, habentur omnia? Velut æs sonans, etc. Sicut impulsu aliquo et non per se æs resonat, sic loquens linguis, non per se, qui nescit quod loquitur, sed virtute spiritus profert ea quibus audientes mulceat.

13.1 When/But_if tongues/languages, etc. Probat this/here that charity excellentior it_is: because other without that not/no they_are_strong, and that without to_these benefit very_much. Charitatem however. Charity it_is source/spring proprius and unique/peculiar of_goods to_whom foreign not/no communicat. Which as oil not/no can premi in/into/on rather, but superexcellit; which when/but_if desit, in_vain are_considered the_rest: when/but_if adsit, are_considered everything? Like/As brass sonans, etc. Like impulsu somewhere and not/no through himself brass resonat, so speaking tongues/languages, not/no through himself, who/which doesn't_know that speaks, but by_virtue spirit brings_forth them to_whom hearing mulceat.

UGNT ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
(ean tais glōssais tōn anthrōpōn lalō kai tōn angelōn, agapaʸn de maʸ eⱪō, gegona ⱪalkos aʸⱪōn aʸ kumbalon alalazon.)

SBL-GNT Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
(Ean tais glōssais tōn anthrōpōn lalō kai tōn angelōn, agapaʸn de maʸ eⱪō, gegona ⱪalkos aʸⱪōn aʸ kumbalon alalazon.)

RP-GNT Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
(Ean tais glōssais tōn anthrōpōn lalō kai tōn angelōn, agapaʸn de maʸ eⱪō, gegona ⱪalkos aʸⱪōn aʸ kumbalon alalazon.)

TC-GNT Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
(Ean tais glōssais tōn anthrōpōn lalō kai tōn angelōn, agapaʸn de maʸ eⱪō, gegona ⱪalkos aʸⱪōn aʸ kumbalon alalazon. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 13:1–13 Love endures forever

In this section Paul talked about the importance of love. He described how a person who loves will behave toward others. He concluded that love is more important than any of the spiritual gifts. One day all the spiritual gifts will cease, but love will never cease.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Love

Paul urged believers to act in love

The way of love

Paragraph 13:1–3

In this paragraph Paul said that love is more important than the spiritual gifts. Without love the spiritual gifts are worthless.

Each verse in this paragraph has the same structure. Each has some conditions, followed by the words “but do not have love,” followed by the thing that will result if the conditions are true.

13:1a-c

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal: Paul talked about a hypothetical situation. There are two conditions followed by the result that will come if the conditions are true. The first condition is that he speaks in the tongues of men and of angels, and the second condition is that he does not have love. The result is that he is like a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.

If…but…I am…: The BSB introduces the first condition with the word If, and introduces the words “do not have love” with the word but. These two phrases are in contrast. The BSB does not use a conjunction to introduce the result. Think about the conjunctions that will be clear in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate these conjunctions:

even if…but…then I am…

even though…yet if…then I am…

what if/supposing…if…then I am…

13:1a

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,

¶ If I speak in the languages of people and the languages of angels,
¶ Somebody may speak in tongues like people speak and even like angels.

the tongues of men and of angels: Paul talked about the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues.Some people think that Paul talked about speaking eloquent words in the normal languages of people and angels. See for example, Barrett 1968. See the note on tongues in 12:10d.

men: The Greek word that the BSB translates as men refers to people, both men and women.

and of angels: Paul talked about the languages of angels. Probably some Corinthians understood that when they spoke in tongues they used a language that angels speak in heaven.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

If I speak in the languages of people and the languages of angels

Even though I spoke the languages of human beings and even of angels

If I have the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues like people do, and my gift sounds like angel speech

13:1b

but have not love,

but do not love other people,
But if that person does not have a heart of love,

but have not love: Throughout this chapter the Greek word that the BSB translates as love refers to a concern for the well-being of other people. It does not refer to sexual desire. In some languages it may be necessary to translate love as a verb.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

but if I lack love

but if I do not love other people

but I do not act with love toward others

but I do not have a heart/stomach/kidneys of love

13:1c

I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.

I am like a noisy gong or a crashing cymbal.
their speech is meaningless like a person banging on a gong or a cymbal.

I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal: This is a metaphor. It describes what his speech will be like if he does not have love.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

I am like a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal

the words I say would be like a person banging a gong or a cymbal

I am only: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as I am only is literally “I have become.” The BSB has supplied the word only to suggest that it is not good to be a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. The GNT supplies different words to indicate this:

my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell (GNT)

ringing: The Greek word that the BSB translates as ringing means “loud,” or “noisy.”

gong: A gong is a metal object that a person hits to produce a loud sound. A gong does not have a clear musical pitch.

clanging: Paul talked about noises that are not pleasant to listen to. In some languages there may be a word that imitates harsh sounds. The same word is used in Mark 5:38 .

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

a noisy cymbal

a noisy for nothing cymbal

a cymbal that they hit randomly

a cymbal that makes a sound “grank-grank”

cymbal: A cymbal is a musical instrument made of metal in the shape of a shallow dish. The musician hits two cymbals together to produce a loud sound. If people where you live do not know about cymbals, you may need to substitute a similar instrument, such as a bell.

General Comment on 13:1a-b

In some languages it may be natural to break up this verse into shorter sentences. Here are some ways to do this:

I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal. (GW)

Some people speak in the tongues of people and of angels but they do not love others. The tongues they speak are no better than resounding gongs and clanging cymbals.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐάν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καί τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀγάπην δέ μή ἔχω γέγονα χαλκός ἠχῶν ἤ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον)

Here Paul is using a hypothetical situation to teach the Corinthians. He wants them to imagine that he could speak with tongues of men and of angels but also that he did not have love. He uses himself in this hypothetical situation so that he does not offend the Corinthians by using them as an example of people without love. Use a natural way in your language to introduce a hypothetical situation. Alternate translation: [Suppose that I could speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but also suppose that I did not have love.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ταῖς γλώσσαις

˱with˲_the tongues

Here, tongues refers to something that one does with one’s “tongue,” which is to speak a language. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate that tongues is a way of speaking about “languages” by using a comparable term or expressing the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [with the languages] or [in the words]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων & καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων

˱with˲_the tongues ¬the ˱of˲_humans & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐάν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καί τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀγάπην δέ μή ἔχω γέγονα χαλκός ἠχῶν ἤ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον)

Here Paul refers to two specific categories of tongues: those of men and those of angels. He does not mean that these are the only kinds of tongues that exist, but he does think that these two kinds do exist. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express tongues of men and of angels with a normal way to refer to various human languages and then also modify it so that you could use it for angelic languages. Alternate translation: [foreign languages and angelic languages]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀγάπην & μὴ ἔχω

love & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐάν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καί τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀγάπην δέ μή ἔχω γέγονα χαλκός ἠχῶν ἤ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind love, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “love.” Alternate translation: [I do not love people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

˱I˲_˓have˒_become (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἐάν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καί τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀγάπην δέ μή ἔχω γέγονα χαλκός ἠχῶν ἤ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον)

Here Paul speaks as if he were a metallic instrument that makes loud noises. He speaks in this way because he wants to argue that tongues without love are noisy, like an instrument, but they do not actually help others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [I have become loud but useless] or [I have become like loud radio static]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

Here Paul refers to two different loud, metallic instruments in his culture. If your culture does not have two different loud instruments made of metal, you could refer to just one here. Further, if your culture does not use metal instruments, you could refer to two or one instruments that make a loud noise. Alternate translation: [a noisy cymbal] or [a loud drum]

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

χαλκὸς ἠχῶν

Here, a noisy gong refers to the sound that comes when someone hits a flat metal object. A gong is a metal instrument that someone hits to make a deep, booming sound. You could use a word that identifies a metal instrument in your culture, especially if it makes a loud sound. Alternate translation: [a loud bell]

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον

˓a˒_cymbal screaming

A cymbal is a thin, round metal plate that someone hits with a stick or another cymbal to create a loud crashing sound (clanging). You could use a word that describes another metal instrument in your culture, especially if it makes a loud, harsh sound. Alternate translation: [loud percussion]

Parallel 1 COR 13:1

Section 13:1–13 Love endures forever

Paragraph 13:1–3

13:1a-c

13:1a

13:1b

13:1c

General Comment on 13:1a-b

Parallel 1 COR 13:1