en_tn/tNotes/1 Corinthians/1 Corinthians_13.md

1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13:1

Connecting Statement:

Having just talked about the gifts that God gives to believers, Paul emphasizes what is more important.

the tongues of ... angels

Possible meanings are 1) Paul is exaggerating for the sake of effect and does not believe that people speak the language that angels use or 2) Paul thinks that some who speak in tongues actually speak the language that angels use. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)

I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal

I have become like instruments that make loud, annoying sounds (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)

gong

a large, thin, round metal plate that is hit with a padded stick to make a loud, low-pitched sound (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-unknown)

a clanging cymbal

a thin, round metal plate that is hit with a padded stick to make a loud, high-pitched sound (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-unknown)

1 Corinthians 13:2

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1 Corinthians 13:3

I give my body to be burned

The phrase "to be burned" can be made active. Alternate translation: "I allow those who persecute me to burn me to death" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is ... Love is not ... It is not

Paul describes the characteristics of love by speaking about love as if it were a person. Alternate translation: "Whoever loves is ... He is not ... He is not" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

1 Corinthians 13:5

It does not ... It is not ... does it keep

Paul continues to describe the characteristics of love by speaking about love as if it were a person. Alternate translation: "He does not ... He does not ... does he keep" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

seek its own

The word "seek" here means to desire and work for something. The person who loves wants and works for what is good for others as much as or more than what is good for himself.

It is not provoked

"It does not become angry easily." The person who loves controls his anger.

nor does it keep a count of wrongs

The person who loves others does not keep a record of the wrongs that people have done to him.

1 Corinthians 13:6

It does not ... it rejoices

Paul continues to describe the characteristics of love by speaking about love as if it were a person. Alternate translation: "He does not ... he rejoices" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Instead, it rejoices in the truth

This can be stated in positive form. Alternate translation: "rejoices only in righteousness and truth" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublenegatives)

1 Corinthians 13:7

Connecting Statement:

Paul continues speaking about love as if it were a person. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-personification)

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things

The phrase "all things" here appears to be an idiom meaning "always". Alternate translation: "always perseveres, always believes, always hopes, and always endures" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)

hopes all things

This means that whoever loves others always expects that what is good will happen.

1 Corinthians 13:8

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1 Corinthians 13:9

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1 Corinthians 13:10

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1 Corinthians 13:11

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1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see indirectly in a mirror

Mirrors in Paul's day were made of polished metal rather than glass and provided a dim, vague reflection.

now we see

Possible meanings are 1) "now we see Christ" or 2) "now we see God."

but then face to face

The understood words "we will see" can be supplied. Seeing face to face is a metaphor or synecdoche for being physically present with the one we will see. Alternate translation: "but then we will see face to face" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)

I will know fully

The word "Christ" is understood. Alternate translation: "I will know Christ fully" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-ellipsis)

just as I have been fully known

This can be stated as active. Alternate translation: "just as Christ has known me fully" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)

1 Corinthians 13:13

faith, hope, and love

These abstract nouns can be expressed in phrases with verbs. Alternate translation: "we must trust the Lord, be confident that he will do what he has promised, and love him and others" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-abstractnouns)