1 Corinthians 13:12 kjv
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 nkjv
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.
1 Corinthians 13:12 niv
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 esv
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12 nlt
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
1 Corinthians 13 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 13:12a | For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. | Present partial knowledge vs. future direct |
| 1 Cor 13:12b | Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. | Present limited understanding vs. future completeness |
| 1 Cor 3:2 | I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. | Concept of spiritual growth and progression |
| 1 Cor 8:2 | If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. | Humility regarding present knowledge |
| Num 12:8 | with him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles. | Contrast of Moses' direct communion with God |
| John 1:18 | No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. | Jesus as the revealer of God |
| John 13:7 | Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” | Future understanding of Christ's actions |
| John 16:12 | I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. | Limited capacity for full truth in the present |
| Acts 17:11 | Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. | Diligence in seeking truth |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! | Immense, beyond current grasp |
| 1 Cor 8:1 | ...knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. | Knowledge needs to be tempered by love |
| Eph 1:17 | that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, | Seeking a deeper knowledge of God |
| Eph 4:13 | until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, | Goal of spiritual maturity and full knowledge |
| Phil 3:12 | Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because it is inscribed on me that Christ Jesus also made me his own. | Continual pursuit of knowing Christ |
| Col 1:9 | And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, | Prayer for knowledge of God's will |
| Heb 8:11 | And they will not each teach their neighbor or their brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. | Completeness of knowledge in the new covenant |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of those realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. | Shadows vs. reality |
| 2 Pet 1:19 | And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, | Growing understanding until full light |
| 1 John 3:2 | Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. | Future likeness and sight of Christ |
| Rev 21:4 | He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, anymore, for the former things have passed away. | Perfect state, absence of partiality |
| John 17:3 | And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. | Eternal life linked to knowing God |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | Different perceptions of spiritual truth |
| Eph 3:18-19 | may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what are the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. | Love of Christ surpassing knowledge |
1 Corinthians 13 verses
1 Corinthians 13 12 Meaning
Paul, the Apostle, in 1 Corinthians 13:12, expresses a present perception of understanding that is incomplete, like looking through a dim, unclear mirror. However, he states that this limited knowledge will eventually be superseded by a direct and complete apprehension of God's truth. The present partial seeing will give way to a future full knowing.
1 Corinthians 13 12 Context
This verse is nestled within the famous "love chapter" of 1 Corinthians 13. Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, which was gifted but also divided and immature. He has been discussing spiritual gifts (like prophecy, tongues, and knowledge) in chapters 12 and 14, highlighting that while valuable, they are temporary and less important than love. In chapter 13, Paul extols love as the superior way. He contrasts the partial, immature nature of spiritual gifts and knowledge in the current age with the perfect, face-to-face reality of the age to come, when God's people will fully know God and Christ. This helps the Corinthians understand that their current gifts, while beneficial, are not the ultimate spiritual reality.
1 Corinthians 13 12 Word analysis
νῦν (nyn) - "now" (temporal)
- Indicates the present time, the current dispensation or state of existence.
βλέπομεν (blepomēn) - "we see"
- From the root blepō, meaning to look, behold, see. It suggests a passive perception or sight, often involving attention.
δι’ (di') - "through"
- A preposition indicating mediation or agency.
ἐσόπτρου (esoptron) - "a mirror" (genitive case)
- Refers to a polished surface, likely of metal, used for reflection. Ancient mirrors were not like modern glass ones and gave a less clear image.
ἀντικατόπτρου (antikatoptron) - "dimly" or "in a riddle" or "in an obscure way"
- This is a compound word. Anti (against) and katoptrizomai (to reflect as in a mirror). The specific nuance here is reflecting as from behind or an unclear reflection. Some scholars suggest a Byzantine emendation for enthyligma (image) or simply a darker mirror. The most common understanding in this context is "dimly" or "obscurely."
δὲ (de) - "but"
- A conjunction indicating contrast.
τότε (tote) - "then" (temporal)
- Refers to a future time, specifically the eschatological time of consummation.
πρόσωπον (prosōpon) - "face"
- The front part of the head. Metaphorically, it can mean presence or aspect.
πρός (pros) - "to" or "towards"
- Indicates directness and proximity.
πρόσωπον (prosōpon) - "face" (accusative case)
- The object of the direct seeing.
ἐπιγνώσει (epignōsei) - "in full knowledge" or "knowledge" (dative case)
- From epignōsis, a more profound, personal, and complete knowledge than gnōsis. It implies deep understanding and relational knowing.
ἐπιγνώσομαι (epignōsomai) - "I shall know" (future tense, passive voice of epignōskō)
- Signifies a future reception of full and direct knowledge. The passive voice suggests God granting this knowledge.
καθώς (kathōs) - "just as" or "even as"
- A comparative conjunction.
καὶ (kai) - "and"
- A conjunction.
ἐπιγνώσθην (epignōsthēn) - "I was known" (aorist passive of epignōskō)
- Refers to a past, completed act of being fully known by God.
Word Group Analysis:
- "see in a mirror dimly" (βλέπομεν δι’ ἐσόπτρου ἀντικατόπτρου) signifies a mediated, imperfect perception, characteristic of our current relationship with divine truth.
- "then face to face" (τότε πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον) denotes an immediate, unmediated, and intimate apprehension of reality.
- "now I know in part; then I shall know fully" (νῦν ἐπιγνώσομαι ἐπιγνώσει) establishes a clear contrast between the present state of incomplete understanding and the future state of complete understanding.
- "even as I have been fully known" (καθὼς καὶ ἐπιγνώσθην) anchors this future knowing to the reciprocal knowledge that already exists in God's eternal purpose – God fully knows us.
1 Corinthians 13 12 Bonus section
The reference to seeing "in a mirror dimly" likely alludes to the custom of polished metal mirrors which did not provide a clear, sharp image like modern glass mirrors. This makes the contrast with "face to face" even more profound. The knowledge described by epignōsis (in both its occurrences) is not merely intellectual but also relational and experiential, akin to truly knowing a person intimately. The fact that we "shall be known" (passive voice) emphasizes God's role in initiating and perfecting this reciprocal knowing, reflecting His sovereign grace in our salvation and glorification.
1 Corinthians 13 12 Commentary
This verse paints a picture of spiritual perception that is analogous to viewing something through a clouded or dark mirror. We possess knowledge and experience God's presence, but it is fragmented and indirect. This partial knowledge is a characteristic of our earthly pilgrimage. The ultimate hope, however, is a transformation in our understanding. In eternity, we will have direct communion with God, a "face to face" encounter, mirroring the intimacy Christ describes in John 17:3. This complete knowledge will be a direct result of being fully known by God, which has already been established through His electing love and redemptive plan. The essence of future, perfect knowing is grounded in God's perfect, eternal knowing of us.
- Practical Application: While awaiting future complete knowledge, believers are encouraged to pursue love and continue growing in their understanding of God's Word, knowing that this current stage is temporary. It encourages humility about present spiritual attainments and fosters anticipation for the fullness that awaits in God's presence.