1 Corinthians 13:8 kjv
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.
1 Corinthians 13:8 nkjv
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
1 Corinthians 13:8 niv
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:8 esv
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:8 nlt
Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
1 Corinthians 13 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 13:8 | Love never fails, but where there are prophecies, they will pass away; where there are tongues, they will cease; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. | Contrast with temporal gifts |
| 1 John 4:16 | So we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. | Love's source and persistence |
| Rom 8:38-39 | For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Love's unconquerable strength |
| Psalm 100:5 | For the Lord is good; his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. | God's eternal love |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. | Love as a fruit of the Spirit |
| Matt 24:35 | Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. | The endurance of God's word |
| Col 3:14 | And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. | Love as the bond of perfection |
| 1 Peter 1:23-25 | for you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the word that was preached to you. | Enduring nature of God's Word |
| Prov 10:12 | Hatred stirs up trouble, but love covers over all wrongs. | Love's covering nature |
| John 13:34-35 | "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." | Love as the mark of discipleship |
| Heb 12:28 | Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. | Unshakable Kingdom of God |
| Rev 21:1-4 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the new heaven and new earth were nonexistent... | Ultimate fulfillment of God's love |
| 1 Cor 13:10 | but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. | Completeness eclipsing partiality |
| Eph 4:13 | until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. | Attaining fullness in Christ |
| 1 Peter 4:8 | Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. | Deeper love's protective quality |
| Mark 12:28-31 | "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ... ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" | The two great commandments |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. | Attributes of love |
| 1 Cor 14:3 | But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. | Purpose of prophecy |
| John 3:16 | "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." | God's loving sacrifice |
| Col 1:19-20 | For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. | Reconciliation through Christ |
| 1 Tim 6:14 | that you keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ | Commandment without blemish |
| Heb 13:5 | Keep your lives free from love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." | God's unwavering presence |
1 Corinthians 13 verses
1 Corinthians 13 8 Meaning
Love never fails. This verse highlights the enduring and unfailing nature of love, specifically the divine love described in the preceding verses. It contrasts this permanence with the temporary nature of spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 13 8 Context
In 1 Corinthians chapter 13, Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, a congregation known for its enthusiastic, yet often disorganized, use of spiritual gifts. Chapters 12 and 14 focus on the proper use and order of these gifts, such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miraculous knowledge. Chapter 13 serves as an "incomparable" explanation of love (agape), demonstrating that these spiritual gifts, while valuable, are temporary and inferior to genuine love. Verse 8 clearly distinguishes between the transient nature of these gifts and the everlasting quality of love. It's important to understand that the gifts were signs pointing to the ultimate completeness that would come with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of Christ, which are all aspects of God's enduring love manifested.
1 Corinthians 13 8 Word Analysis
agapē (ἀγάπη): This is the Greek word for love, specifically referring to the unconditional, self-sacrificing, divine love. It is not an emotion, but a volitional act of goodwill and commitment. This contrasts with phileō (brotherly love) or erōs (romantic love). The "love" here refers to the divine, active love described throughout the chapter, particularly God's love for humanity and the love Christians are called to have for one another and for God. It is characterized by patience, kindness, and bearing all things (1 Cor 13:4-7). This type of love is presented as the most excellent way.
oude pōpote ekpiptei (οὐδέποτε ἐκπίπτει): This phrase translates to "never fails" or "never falls away."
- oude (οὐδέ): "and not," "neither," "nor." It acts as a strong negation, emphasizing the absolute absence of failure.
- pōpote (πώποτε): "ever," "at any time." This intensifies the negation, stating that love never fails at any point in time.
- ekpiptei (ἐκπίπτει): From ekpiptō (ἐκπίπτω), meaning "to fall out," "to fall away," "to fail," "to become useless." In this context, it means that love will not cease, become ineffective, or become obsolete. The imperfect tense indicates a continuous state of not failing.
Word Groups/Phrases:
- "where there are prophecies, they will pass away": prophēteiai (προφητεῖαι) means "prophecies." katargeōntai (καταργοῦνται), from katargeō, means "to be rendered invalid," "to be abolished," "to cease." Prophetic utterances, while from God, are partial and incomplete until perfection arrives.
- "where there are tongues, they will cease": glossai (γλῶσσαι) means "tongues." pausontai (παύσονται), from pauō, means "they will stop," "they will cease." The ability to speak in unknown languages will come to an end.
- "where there is knowledge, it will pass away": gnōsis (γνῶσις) means "knowledge." katargeitai (καταργεῖται), also from katargeō, means "it is rendered invalid," "it ceases." Our current, partial understanding of spiritual truths will be superseded.
The contrast is drawn starkly: while the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge are inherently temporary and will cease or pass away with the coming of "that which is perfect" (v. 10), love does not. It is an eternal attribute that characterizes God and will continue into the eternal state.
1 Corinthians 13 8 Bonus Section
The context in 1 Corinthians 12-14 emphasizes the importance of using spiritual gifts in an orderly and beneficial way for the community. Love is presented as the "more excellent way" (12:31) that should guide the exercise of these gifts. The ultimate "completeness" or "perfection" mentioned in verse 10 refers to the eschatological state when Christ returns or when believers finally stand in God's presence, where there will be no need for these partial manifestations of gifts, as direct knowledge and perfect fellowship will be attained. Love, however, will continue in its full expression, mirroring God's eternal nature. The emphasis is on the character and action of God as the ultimate model of unfailing love.
1 Corinthians 13 8 Commentary
Love, defined by God's perfect and unselfish nature, is the eternal foundation. Unlike spiritual gifts, which served a specific purpose during the foundational period of the church and will become obsolete when the perfected reality is fully present, love will endure. This makes love the supreme and most excellent way for believers to relate to each other and to God. The persistence of love highlights its ultimate importance over any manifestation of spiritual gifts. It is the supreme value and the unchanging characteristic of the kingdom of God, providing the essential framework for all relationships and activities, even in eternity.