1 "Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding
brass or a clanging cymbal. 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, but have
not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love
suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does
not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things. 8 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. 9
For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part
will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke
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
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know
in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these
is love."