1 Corinthians 13:6
What does 1 Corinthians 13:6 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 13:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Corinthians 13:6 means
Love does not find pleasure when evil wins, even if it hurts an enemy. It refuses the dark delight of gossip, scandal, or someone’s fall. Instead, love celebrates when the truth is honored and obeyed. It rejoices when righteousness advances, when honesty prevails, and when God’s way is vindicated. This shows that love is not sentimental permissiveness; it has a moral spine. It sides with truth, not with flattery or false peace. Love is glad to see light expose darkness because that is the path to real freedom and fellowship. Its joy is tied to what is true, not to what merely feels good for a moment.
1 Corinthians 13:6 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 · 2000rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862rejoiceth not over the unrighteousness, and rejoiceth with the truth;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth,
Context
After listing what love restrains (rudeness, self-seeking, anger, scorekeeping), Paul clarifies that love’s kindness does not compromise with sin. The community must not confuse patience with approval of wrong. Verse 6 anchors love to the truth, which prepares for the comprehensive summary in verse 7 that highlights love’s stamina and hopeful outlook even while it refuses to celebrate evil.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Samuel 4:10
when one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.
- 1 Samuel 23:19
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?
- Jeremiah 20:10
For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
- 3 John 1:3
For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.
- Jeremiah 9:1
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
- 2 Thessalonians 2:12
that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Sermon ideas from 1 Corinthians 13:6
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What 1 Corinthians 13:6 teaches us about christian love
What 1 Corinthians 13:6 teaches us about gifts in proportion
What 1 Corinthians 13:6 teaches us about permanence of love
What 1 Corinthians 13:6 teaches us about maturity
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