1If I speak with the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a sounding brass gong, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And if I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And though I donate all I possess to feed the poor, and even give my body to be burned, but lack love, it gains me nothing.

4Love is patient, and kind; love does not envy; nor boast. It is not proud, 5Nor rude, self-seeking, easily angered, nor resentful, 6It disdains evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7Love endures all things, trusts and hopes in all things.

8Love never fails; but where there are prophecies, they shall cease; where there are tongues, or knowledge, they shall become useless. 9For now we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that time of perfection and completeness comes, then those things that are in part (imperfect or incomplete) shall be done away with. 11When I was a child, I thought, understood, and spoke like a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12For now we see only a dim picture, as in a foggy mirror; but then we shall see face to face. Now we know only in part; but then we shall know even as we are also fully known. 13And now these three things remain - faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.