1 Corinthians 13:4 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
1 Corinthians 13:4 kjv
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4 nkjv
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
1 Corinthians 13:4 niv
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4 esv
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
1 Corinthians 13:4 nlt
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
1 Corinthians 13 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... | Love manifests through patience and kindness. |
| Eph 4:2 | With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. | Patience as a prerequisite for loving unity. |
| Col 3:12 | ...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. | Virtue list including kindness and patience. |
| Rom 2:4 | Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience? | God's own attributes include kindness and patience. |
| Jas 5:7-8 | Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. | Encouragement for believers to be patient. |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slow about his promise... but is patient toward you. | God's patience towards humanity's sin. |
| Eph 4:32 | Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other. | Call to kindness as an aspect of forgiveness. |
| Luke 6:35 | ...love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. | Practicing kindness even to those who oppose. |
| Rom 13:13 | Let us walk properly, as in the daytime, not in quarreling and envy. | Warning against envy, opposing love. |
| Gal 5:26 | Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. | Envy disrupts community, fueled by conceit. |
| Jas 3:16 | For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder. | Envy is a root cause of social strife. |
| Prov 14:30 | A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. | The destructive nature of envy on the self. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom... but boast in this. | True boasting is only in knowing God. |
| Prov 27:2 | Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. | Against self-boasting. |
| Phil 2:3 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others. | Humility over conceit and boasting. |
| Luke 18:9-14 | Parable of the Pharisee who boasted about his righteousness. | Example of self-boasting rejected by God. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Warning against pride's destructive path. |
| Jas 4:6 | God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. | God's active opposition to pride. |
| Rom 12:3 | Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think with sober judgment. | Warning against pride and self-inflation. |
| Matt 20:26-28 | Whoever would be great among you must be your servant. | Humility and service counter pride and boasting. |
| 1 Pet 4:8 | Above all, keep loving one another earnestly. | The primacy of love in the Christian walk. |
| John 13:34-35 | By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love. | Love as the identifying mark of Christ's followers. |
| Rom 12:10 | Love one another with brotherly affection. | Encouragement for kind and affectionate love. |
| Col 1:11 | May you be strengthened with all power... for all endurance and patience. | Patience enabled by divine strength. |
| Rom 5:3-4 | Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character. | Endurance (patience) is foundational for character. |
1 Corinthians 13 verses
1 Corinthians 13 4 meaning
1 Corinthians 13:4 delineates the fundamental characteristics of true divine love, agapē. It begins by defining love as active endurance and benevolent action: "Love is patient, love is kind." It then transitions to describe what love is not, countering common human flaws that undermine genuine connection and selflessness: "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." This verse presents a portrait of love that prioritizes others, humility, and steadfast goodness, standing in stark contrast to self-centered desires and the disruptive spiritual gifts prevalent in the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 13 4 Context
1 Corinthians 13 sits as a pivotal chapter within Paul's letter to the Corinthian church. Chapters 12 and 14 deal extensively with spiritual gifts (pneumatika), their proper use, and their potential for disorder and pride if not guided by love. The Corinthians were a spiritually gifted but also deeply flawed community, marked by divisions, self-exaltation, envy, and an emphasis on showy spiritual manifestations over humble service. They prided themselves on spectacular gifts like speaking in tongues and prophecy, often for personal status. Paul introduces chapter 13, the "love chapter," precisely to correct their misunderstandings about spiritual authority and power, arguing that all gifts, however impressive, are utterly worthless without the accompanying, underlying motivation of agapē. Verse 4, specifically, begins to list the tangible, observable characteristics of this superior way of love, directly challenging the attitudes and behaviors that were creating disunity and dysfunction within their midst. It contrasts the temporary and self-serving nature of their giftedness with the enduring and other-centered nature of genuine Christian love.
1 Corinthians 13 4 Word analysis
- Love (Greek: agapē, ἀγάπη): This is not merely an emotional or passionate love (eros), nor brotherly affection (philia), but a divine, unconditional, self-sacrificial love that wills good for the beloved, irrespective of their merit. It's the type of love God has for humanity (Jn 3:16) and what Christ exemplified (Rom 5:8). Its meaning extends beyond mere feeling to a commitment and active choice.
- is patient (Greek: makrothymei, μακροθυμεῖ): This verb implies "long-suffering" or "long-tempered." It signifies the capacity to endure injuries, insults, or provocations without quickly retaliating, exploding in anger, or becoming resentful. It speaks of holding off judgment or punishment and enduring adversity with hopeful perseverance, often connected to God's patience with sinners (Rom 2:4).
- love is kind (Greek: chresteuetai, χρηστεύεται): This verb means "to be useful," "to show oneself mild or benevolent," "to do good." It is active benevolence, expressing itself in gentle, tender, and considerate deeds towards others. It is the practical, positive expression of love, always seeking to serve and benefit others rather than harm them.
- It does not envy (Greek: ou zeloi, οὐ ζηλοῖ): The verb zeloo can mean both positive "zeal" or negative "envy" or "jealousy." Here, in the negative, it refers to a resentful longing for what another possesses, or unhappiness at the success or good fortune of others. Love, being other-centered, does not covet gifts, status, or blessings enjoyed by fellow believers; instead, it rejoices with them.
- it does not boast (Greek: ou perpereuetai, οὐ περπερεύεται): This rare verb, perpereuomai, describes being a "braggart" or "show-off." It signifies excessive self-display, self-praise, or ostentation in words, making a parade of one's abilities or achievements. Love avoids drawing undue attention to oneself or inflating one's importance, especially concerning spiritual gifts.
- it is not proud (Greek: ou physioutai, οὐ φυσιούται): The verb physioo means "to inflate," "to puff up," or "to be arrogant/conceited." It describes an inflated sense of self-importance or an overestimation of one's own value, leading to a scornful attitude toward others. This directly addresses the Corinthian issue of some being "puffed up" with spiritual knowledge or gifts (1 Cor 4:6, 18, 19; 8:1). Love is humble, not conceited, and avoids looking down on anyone.
Words-group analysis:
- "Love is patient, love is kind": These two positive characteristics highlight love's active and enduring nature. Patience (long-suffering) relates to how love responds to offenses, while kindness relates to how love initiates benevolent action towards others. Together, they demonstrate love's capacity to both bear difficulty and manifest goodness consistently.
- "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud": These three negative statements describe what love refrains from doing, collectively attacking forms of self-centeredness and spiritual arrogance. Envy stems from discontent with one's own lot and others' good fortune; boasting is an outward display of exaggerated self-importance; pride is an inward inflated estimation of self. These negative attributes often feed into each other and were particularly disruptive in the Corinthian church's competitive display of gifts.
1 Corinthians 13 4 Bonus section
The qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13:4 are not merely human ideals but are reflections of God's own character, making them aspirational for believers seeking to embody Christ. God is patient (Ex 34:6; Rom 2:4) and is kind (Ps 145:9; Tit 3:4). Conversely, God certainly does not envy (Ex 20:5 is divine jealousy for covenant fidelity, not human envy of another's blessing), boast, or take pride in the way humans do; rather, He challenges all human pride (Isa 2:12-17; Jas 4:6). This connection emphasizes that practicing agapē means participating in divine nature. The list also establishes a foundational ethic that distinguishes Christian behavior from prevalent cultural values that often promoted status, reputation, and self-promotion. While a Roman orator or Greek philosopher might value dignity or honor, this passage redefines what constitutes true worth and strength through the lens of self-giving, others-focused love. The grammatical structure of these virtues being stated as active verbs (e.g., "is patient," "is kind") rather than passive adjectives highlights that agapē is not just a feeling or state of being, but an action that is demonstrated through intentional choices and behaviors.
1 Corinthians 13 4 Commentary
1 Corinthians 13:4 is more than a list of virtues; it is a profound articulation of the very character of God as revealed through agapē. The attributes presented—patience, kindness, and the absence of envy, boasting, or pride—are fundamental to a flourishing Christian community and individual spiritual maturity. Patience teaches enduring wrongs without bitterness; kindness ensures active benevolence, not passive absence of harm. The refusal to envy dismantles destructive comparisons and fosters communal joy. The rejection of boasting and pride counters self-exaltation, promoting humility and valuing others above oneself. These qualities act as correctives to human selfishness and the natural inclination to seek personal acclaim, especially relevant for the Corinthians who struggled with spiritual pride and competition over gifts. True love transforms our reactive instincts and shapes our internal dispositions, demonstrating that genuine spiritual power is found in humble, self-giving service, rather than impressive outward displays. It emphasizes the journey of Christ-likeness, where love not only feels but acts in ways that edify and unify. For instance, in personal interactions, patience helps overlook small offenses, while kindness moves us to offer help. When a friend succeeds, love prevents envy, allowing genuine celebration. When tempted to recount personal achievements, love's humility keeps us from boasting, fostering focus on God's glory and others' contributions.