1 Corinthians 13:1
Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ, καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν, ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
1 Corinthians 13:2
καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν, ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.
1 Corinthians 13:3
καὶ ἐὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα [καυχήσωμαι], ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Ἡ ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ, χρηστεύεται· ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ ζηλοῖ· ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιοῦται,
Love suffers long; is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not boast; is not proud.
Paraphrase: A person who has love as the ruling and guiding motive of their life will act in certain ways. Let me give you specifics.
First, such a person is not quickly provoked when ridiculed or insulted by others. He patiently endures reproach and is not quick to be angry or to seek revenge.
Second, such persons are kind to others especially the weak and hurting. They seek to do as much good to others as they have opportunity.
Third, persons ruled by love are not jealous of other people but rejoice in the success of others. (Romans 12:15)
Fourth, such persons do not boast loudly of their own accomplishments. They would rather listen to others because by this, they are able to do good to them.
Fifth, someone ruled by love is not proud and arrogant. They are happy to go unnoticed and unrecognized. Their goal in life is not to promote themselves but to do good to others.
Comments:
See the acts of spiritual and corporal mercy in §2 here.
1 Corinthians 13:5
οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ· οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν·
is not rude; does not seek his own; is not exasperated; does not reckon evil.
Paraphrase: Sixth, such a person is not loud, rude, and obnoxious in his behavior toward others. He is polite and respectful to all persons in whatever business he might have with them.
Seventh, a person ruled by love does not seek his own things. His life is focused on doing good to others.
Eighth, such persons are not easily angered or offended. They are not irritable; they don’t take so seriously all the insults and perceived slights they may receive along the way.
Ninth, they do not immediately judge others as having bad motives. They put the best possible interpretation on the actions of others. They don’t automatically assume the worst.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 13:6
οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, συνχαίρει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ.
does not rejoice in evil but rejoices in the truth
Paraphrase: Tenth, a person ruled by love does not rejoice at injustice even when the decision might favor his interests. On the contrary, such a person rejoices in knowing the truth of what happened and making sure that each side receives justice.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 13:7
πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει.
He covers all things; believes all things; hopes all things, endures all things.
Paraphrase: Finally, a person ruled by love covers up all the mistakes and errors made by others. The last thing he wants is for someone to be held up to public ridicule and shame.
Then, he also gives other people the benefit of the doubt. He takes people at their word and believes what they say unless he has solid reasons for thinking otherwise. He sees the best in other people and doesn’t assume the worst.
He also thinks positively. He is not a constant nay-sayer. He looks on the bright side and is optimistic about the future.
When troubles arise in his life, he patiently endures through the pain and suffering. He waits on God during those times when he must pass through the valley of the shadow of death.
Comments:
1 Corinthians 13:8
Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει· εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις καταργηθήσεται.
1 Corinthians 13:9
ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν, καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν·
1 Corinthians 13:10
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.
1 Corinthians 13:11
Ὅτε ἤμην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος· ὅτε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου.
1 Corinthians 13:12
βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι, δι’ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι· τότε δὲ, πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον· ἄρτι, γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους· τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι, καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη, τὰ τρία ταῦτα· μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη.