< 1 Corinthians 13 >
1 Supposing we could speak [all] the various languages [MTY] that people [in the world speak] and even speak [the language] that angels [speak]. If we did not love [others, speaking those languages] would be [as useless as beating] a brass gong or clanging cymbals [together].
Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.
2 Supposing we had the ability to speak messages that come directly from God, and we could understand the plans that he has not yet revealed [to others], and we could know everything [about everything], and we believed in God so strongly that we could [do impossible things like] causing mountains to move. If we did not love [others, God would consider all that] to be worthless.
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.
3 And supposing we would give everything that we own to poor people, and would let others kill us in order that we could boast about [sacrificing our] own bodies. If we did not love [others], we would not get any reward [from God].
καὶ ἐὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου, ἵνα καυθήσομαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι.
4 Those who [PRS] truly love [others] act patiently and kindly toward them. Those who [PRS] truly love [others] are not jealous of them, they do not boast [about what they themselves have done], and are not proud.
Ἡ ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ, χρηστεύεται ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐ ζηλοῖ, ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιοῦται,
5 Those who [PRS] truly love [others] do not act in disgraceful/disrespectful ways towards them. They do not (act selfishly/think only of themselves and what they want). They do not quickly become angry. They do not keep remembering the bad things [that others have done to them].
οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν,
6 Those who [PRS] truly love [others] do not rejoice when [people do] evil things, but they do rejoice when [people act] righteously.
οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, συνχαίρει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ·
7 Those who truly love [others] patiently put up [the faults of others]. They do not quickly assume [that others have done something bad]. They confidently expect [that others will act righteously]. They patiently endure [all their own troubles].
πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει.
8 We should never [PRS] let anything stop us from continuing to love [others]. As for the ability to speak messages that come directly from God, some day that will come to an end. As for the ability to speak languages [MTY] [that we have not learned], that will [also] come to an end some day. And as for the ability to know things that God reveals to us, that will come to an end some day [because it will not be necessary any more].
Ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει· εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι, καταργηθήσονται· εἴτε γλῶσσαι, παύσονται· εἴτε γνῶσις, καταργηθήσεται.
9 God does not reveal everything to us, and we cannot know everything that he knows.
ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν·
10 But when everything is perfect [after Christ returns], things which are not perfect [now], [such as the abilities which God’s Spirit gives us], will (disappear/come to an end).
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.
11 When we were children, we talked like children talk, we thought like children think, we reasoned like children reason. But when we grew up, we got rid of our childish ways [MET]. [Similarly], [you need to get rid of your childish thinking about the abilities that the Spirit has given you].
ὅτε ἤμην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος· ὅτε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου.
12 In this life we do not understand everything fully. It is like [MET] looking at something indirectly by seeing it in a mirror. But [when we get to heaven] [MTY], we will [understand everything clearly. It will be like] talking to someone face-to-face. Now we know only part [of everything that God wants us to know]. Then we will know everything completely, just like [God] knows us completely.
βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι’ ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον· ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.
13 So now there are three things [that we must] continue [to do]: To trust [in God], to confidently expect [to receive what he will give us], and to love [others]. But the greatest of those three things is loving [others].
νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη, τὰ τρία ταῦτα· μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη.