13:1 {With the tongues} (tais glōssais). Instrumental case. Mentioned first because really least and because the Corinthians put undue emphasis on this gift. Plato ("Symposium", 197) and many others have written on love, but Paul has here surpassed them all in this marvellous prose-poem. It comes like a sweet bell right between the jangling noise of the gifts in chapters 12 and 14. It is a pity to dissect this gem or to pull to pieces this fragrant rose, petal by petal. Fortunately Paul's language here calls for little comment, for it is the language of the heart. "The greatest, strongest, deepest thing Paul ever wrote" (Harnack). The condition (ean and present subjunctive, lalō kai mē echō, though the form is identical with present indicative) is of the third class, a supposable case.
{But have not love} (agapēn de mē echō). This is the "crux" of the chapter. Love is the way "par excellence" of 12:31. It is not yet clearly certain that agapē (a back-formation from agapaō) occurs before the LXX and the N.T. Plutarch used agapēsis. Deissmann ("Bible Studies", p. 198) once suspected it on an inscription in Pisidia. It is still possible that it occurs in the papyri (Prayer to Isis). See "Light from the Ancient East", p. 75 for details. The rarity of agapē made it easier for Christians to use this word for Christian love as opposed to erōs (sexual love). See also Moffatt's Love in the N.T. (1930) for further data. The word is rare in the Gospels, but common in Paul, John, Peter, Jude. Paul does not limit agapē at all (both toward God and man). Charity (Latin "caritas") is wholly inadequate. "Intellect was worshipped in Greece, and power in Rome; but where did St. Paul learn the surpassing beauty of love?" (Robertson and Plummer). Whether Paul had ever seen Jesus in the flesh, he knows him in the spirit. One can substitute Jesus for love all through this panegyric.
{I am become} (gegona). Second perfect indicative in the conclusion rather than the usual future indicative. It is put vividly, "I am already become." Sounding brass (chalchos ēchōn). Old words. Brass was the earliest metal that men learned to use. Our word "echoing" is ēchōn, present active participle. Used in Lu 21:25 of the roaring of the sea. Only two examples in N.T. {Clanging cymbal} (kumbalon alalazon). Cymbal old word, a hollow basin of brass. Alalazō, old onomatopoetic word to ring loudly, in lament (Mr 5:38), for any cause as here. Only two N.T. examples.

13:2 The ecstatic gifts (verse 1) are worthless. Equally so are the teaching gifts (prophecy, knowledge of mysteries, all knowledge). Crasis here in kan=kai ean. Paul is not condemning these great gifts. He simply places love above them and essential to them. Equally futile is wonder-working faith "so as to remove mountains" (hōste orē methistanein) without love. This may have been a proverb or Paul may have known the words of Jesus (Mt 17:20; 21:21).
{I am nothing} (outhen eimi). Not outheis, nobody, but an absolute zero. This form in th rather than d (ouden) had a vogue for a while (Robertson, "Grammar", p. 219).

13:3 {Bestow to feed} (Psōmisō). First aorist active subjunctive of psōmizō, to feed, to nourish, from psōmos, morsel or bit, and so to feed, by putting a morsel into the mouth like infant (or bird). Old word, but only here in N.T.
{To be burned} (hina kauthēsōmai). First future passive subjunctive (Textus Receptus), but D kauthēsomai (future passive indicative of kaiō, old word to burn). There were even some who courted martyrdom in later years (time of Diocletian). This Byzantine future subjunctive does not occur in the old MSS. (Robertson, "Grammar", p. 876). Aleph A B here read kauchēsōmai, first aorist middle subjunctive of kauchaomai (so Westcott and Hort), "that I may glory." This is correct.
{It profiteth me nothing} (ouden ōpheloumai). Literally, I am helped nothing. Ouden in the accusative case retained with passive verb. See two accusatives with ōpheleō in 14:6. Verb is old and from ophelos (profit).

13:4 Verses 4-7 picture the character or conduct of love in marvellous rhapsody.
{Suffereth long} (makrothumei). Late "Koinē" word (Plutarch) from makros, long, thumos, passion, ardour. Cf. Jas 5:7f.
{Is kind} (chrēsteuetai). From chrēstos (useful, gracious, kind) and that from chraomai, to use. Not found elsewhere save in Clement of Rome and Eusebius. "Perhaps of Paul's coining" (Findlay). Perhaps a vernacular word ready for Paul. Gentle in behaviour.
{Envieth not} (ou zēloi). Present active indicative of zēloō (contraction oei=oi, same as subjunctive and optative forms). Bad sense of zēlos from zeō, to boil, good sense in 12:31. Love is neither jealous nor envious (both ideas).
{Vaunteth not itself} (ou perpereuetai). From perperos, vainglorious, braggart (Polybius, Epictetus) like Latin "perperus". Only here in N.T. and earliest known example. It means play the braggart. Marcus Anton. V. 5 uses it with areskeuomai, to play the toady.
{Is not puffed up} (ou phusioutai). Present direct middle indicative of phusioō from phusis (late form for phusaō, phusiaō from phusa, bellows), to puff oneself out like a pair of bellows. This form in Herodas and Menander. Is not arrogant. See on ¯4:6.

13:5 {Doth not behave itself unseemly} (ouk aschēmonei). Old verb from aschēmōn (12:23). In N.T. only here and 7:36. Not indecent.
{Seeketh not its own} (ou zētei ta heautēs). Its own interests (10:24,33).
{Is not provoked} (ou paroxunetai). Old word. In N.T. only here and Ac 17:16 which see. Irritation or sharpness of spirit. And yet Paul felt it in Athens (exasperation) and he and Barnabas had paroxusmos (paroxysm) in Antioch (15:39). See good sense of paroxusmos in Heb 10:24. {Taketh not account of evil} (ou logizetai to kakon). Old verb from logos, to count up, to take account of as in a ledger or note-book, "the evil" (to kakon) done to love with a view to settling the account.

13:6 {Rejoiceth not in unrighteousness} (ou chairei). See Ro 1:32 for this depth of degradation. There are people as low as that whose real joy is in the triumph of evil.
{But rejoiceth with the truth} (sunchairei de tēi alētheiāi). Associative instrumental case after sun- in composition. Truth personified as opposed to unrighteousness (2Th 2:12; Ro 2:8). Love is on the side of the angels. Paul returns here to the positive side of the picture (verse 4) after the remarkable negatives.

13:7 {Beareth all things} (panta stegei). Stegō is old verb from stegē, roof, already in 1Co 9:12; 1Th 3:1,5 which see. Love covers, protects, forbears ("suffert", Vulgate). See 1Pe 4:8 "because love covers a multitude of sins" (hoti agapē kaluptei phēthos hamartiōn), throws a veil over.
{Believeth all things} (panta pisteuei). Not gullible, but has faith in men. {Hopeth all things} (panta elpizei). Sees the bright side of things. Does not despair. Endureth all things (panta hupomenei). Perseveres. Carries on like a stout-hearted soldier. If one knows Sir Joshua Reynolds's beautiful painting of the Seven Virtues (the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics--temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice--and the three Christian graces--faith, hope, love), he will find them all exemplified here as marks of love (the queen of them all).

13:8 {Love never faileth} (Hē agapē oudepote piptei). New turn for the perpetuity of love. Piptei correct text, not ekpiptei, as in Lu 16:17. Love survives everything.
{They shall be done away} (katargēthēsontai). First future passive of katargeō. Rare in old Greek, to make idle (argos), inoperative. All these special spiritual gifts will pass. It is amazing how little of human work lasts.
{They shall cease} (pausontai). Future middle indicative of pauō, to make cease. They shall make themselves cease or automatically cease of themselves.

13:9 {In part} (ek merous). See on ¯12:27. As opposed to the whole.

13:10 {That which is perfect} (to teleion). The perfect, the full-grown (telos, end), the mature. See on ¯2:6. Hotan elthēi is second aorist subjunctive with hotan, temporal clause for indefinite future time.

13:11 {A child} (nēpios). See on ¯3:1 for nēpios in contrast with teleios (adult).
{I spake} (elaloun). Imperfect active, I used to talk.
{I felt} (ephronoun). Imperfect active, I used to think. Better, I used to understand.
{I thought} (elogizomēn). Imperfect middle, I used to reason or calculate. {Now that I am become} (hote gegona). Perfect active indicative gegona, I have become a man (anēr) and remain so (Eph 4:14).
{I have put away} (katērgēka). Perfect active indicative. I have made inoperative (verse 8) for good.

13:12 {In a mirror} (di' esoptrou). By means of a mirror (esoptron, from optō, old word, in papyri). Ancient mirrors were of polished metal, not glass, those in Corinth being famous. {Darkly} (en ainigmati). Literally, in an enigma. Old word from ainissomai, to express obscurely. This is true of all ancient mirrors. Here only in N.T., but often in LXX. "To see a friend's face in a cheap mirror would be very different from looking at the friend" (Robertson and Plummer).
{Face to face} (prosōpon pros prosōpon). Note triple use of pros which means facing one as in Joh 1:1. Prosōpon is old word from pros and ops, eye, face.
{Shall I know} (epignōsomai). I shall fully (epi-) know. Future middle indicative as ginōskō (I know) is present active and epegnōsthēn (I was fully known) is first aorist passive (all three voices).

13:13 {Abideth} (menei). Singular, agreeing in number with pistis (faith), first in list.
{The greatest of these} (meizōn toutōn). Predicative adjective and so no article. The form of meizōn is comparative, but it is used as superlative, for the superlative form megistos had become rare in the "Koinē" (Robertson, "Grammar", pp. 667ff.). See this idiom in Mt 11:11; 18:1; 23:11. The other gifts pass away, but these abide forever. Love is necessary for both faith and hope. Does not love keep on growing? It is quite worth while to call attention to Henry Drummond's famous sermon "The Greatest Thing in the World" and to Dr. J.D. Jones's able book "The Greatest of These". Greatest, Dr. Jones holds, because love is an attribute of God.