What does 1 Corinthians 13:1 mean?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1, King James Version

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The verse in its chapter

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

  1. 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
  2. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
  3. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Study note

Tyndale Open Study Notes (CC BY-SA 4.0).

13:1-13 Paul interrupts his discussion of spiritual gifts (resumed in ch 14) to emphasize that love is more important than any spiritual gift (cp. 8:1-3). The most important thing for Christians is to become deeply and consistently loving people.

13:1-3 Spiritual gifts in themselves do not define our worth to God or to the church. In fact, apart from the expression of love, spiritual gifts are of no value.

13:1 all the languages of earth (literally the tongues of men) and of angels: Tongues was the spiritual gift most highly prized by the Corinthians (see also 12:10, 28; 14:1-25, 27).

Cross references

Other Bible passages linked to this one, most cited first.

About the book of 1 Corinthians

Author
Paul (1 Corinthians 1:1)
When
c. AD 54, from Ephesus
Period
Igreja primitiva, c. 30 a 70 d.C. (in Portuguese)

Authorship: the book itself or Christian tradition. Approximate dates, as in Carson and Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, and Longman and Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament.

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