Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:2

What does 1 Corinthians 13:2 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 13:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 13:2 means

Even if someone could speak God’s own message with precision, solve mysteries, master all knowledge, and exercise mountain-moving faith, that person would still be a spiritual zero without love. Ability and insight, even when real and powerful, do not equal godliness. Love is not an optional add-on to impressive gifts; it is the essential measure of the person. Paul teaches that the worth of spiritual activity is not in the display, the difficulty, or the results, but in the motive and manner. Faith can relocate mountains yet leave the heart barren; love roots the heart in God and orients all gifts toward the good of others.

1 Corinthians 13:2 in context

1 Corinthians 13 — The More Excellent Way

Set in the middle of Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts, this chapter is the great hymn of love. Eloquence without love is noisy brass. Knowledge, faith, and self-sacrifice without love profit nothing. Love is patient and kind, does not envy or boast, is not arrogant or rude, does not insist on its own way, is not irritable or resentful, rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Tongues will cease and knowledge pass away, but love never fails.

  • Christian love
  • Gifts in proportion
  • Permanence of love
  • Maturity

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and if I have prophecy, and know all the secrets, and all the knowledge, and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Context

Building from verse 1’s focus on tongues, Paul now cites other highly valued capacities—prophecy, knowledge, and remarkable faith. He heightens the contrast by imagining the most extreme forms of these gifts. The verdict is the same: without love, the gifted person is “nothing.” This continues to dismantle Corinthian pride in giftedness and shifts the reader’s focus from outward ability to inward character. Verse 3 will press the point further by considering even the most sacrificial deeds without love.

v.1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

v.2This passage

v.3And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 16:25

    Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,

  • 1 John 4:20

    If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

  • Matthew 17:20

    And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

  • Galatians 6:3

    For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:6

    But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

  • Ephesians 3:4

    whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

Sermon ideas from 1 Corinthians 13:2

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What 1 Corinthians 13:2 teaches us about christian love

  • What 1 Corinthians 13:2 teaches us about gifts in proportion

  • What 1 Corinthians 13:2 teaches us about permanence of love

  • What 1 Corinthians 13:2 teaches us about maturity

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore 1 Corinthians 13

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on 1 Corinthians 13.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to 1 Corinthians 13:2.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary