Bible / 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 13
World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision, the traditional Catholic English Bible. About the translations
1 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. CCC
2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. CCC · Fathers
3 If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. CCC
4 Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, CCC
5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; CCC
6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; CCC
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. CCC
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. CCC
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; Fathers
10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have 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 will know fully, even as I was also fully known. CCC · Fathers
13 But now faith, hope, and love remain – these three. The greatest of these is love. CCC · Fathers
1 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. CCC
2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. CCC · Fathers
3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. CCC
4 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, CCC
5 Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil: CCC
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth: CCC
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. CCC
8 Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void or tongues shall cease or knowledge shall be destroyed. CCC
9 For we know in part: and we prophesy in part. Fathers
10 But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall 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 the things of a child.
12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. CCC · Fathers
13 And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. CCC · Fathers
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1826 “If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle, "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1826 “If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle, "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if…”
“… declares, "Love is the fulfilling of the law:" and [he declares] that when all other things have been destroyed, there shall remain "faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of all is love;" and that apart from the love of God, neither knowledge avails anything,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1826 “If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle, "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1825 “Christ died out of love for us, while we were still "enemies." The Lord asks us to love as he does, even…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 1825 “Christ died out of love for us, while we were still "enemies." The Lord asks us to love as he does, even…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 773 “In the Church this communion of men with God, in the "love [that] never ends," is the purpose which governs everything in…”
Read the Fathers
“For now," he says, "we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but then face to face.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1023 “Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for…”
- CCC 1720 “The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the beatitude to which God calls man: - the coming of the Kingdom of…”
- CCC 2519 “The "pure in heart" are promised that they will see God face to face and be like him. Purity of heart is…”
- CCC 163 “Faith makes us taste in advance the light of the beatific vision, the goal of our journey here below. Then we shall…”
“For now," he says, "we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but then face to face.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1813 “The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and…”
- CCC 1826 “If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle, "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if…”
“And Paul in like manner declares, "Love is the fulfilling of the law:" and [he declares] that when all other things have been destroyed, there shall remain "faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of all is love;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1