1 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. 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, and
have not charity, I am
nothing. 3 And
though I bestow all my
goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be
burned, and have not
charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is
kind; charity envieth not;
charity vaunteth not itself,
is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself
unseemly, seeketh not her own,
is not easily provoked, thinketh
no evil; 6
Rejoiceth not in iniquity,
but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things. 8
Charity never faileth: but
whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in
part. 10 But
when that which is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a
child, I spake 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 through a glass, darkly
ㆍ; but then face to face: now I know
in part; but then shall I
know even as also I am known.
13 And now
abideth faith, hope, charity,
these three; but the greatest of
these is charity.
|