[1] What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. [3] What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. [4] Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or [5] rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. [6] Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. [7] Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. [8] Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. [9] We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. [10] But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. [11] When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. [12] Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. [13] For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.
