8 The love doth never fail; and whether `there be' prophecies, they shall become useless; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall become useless;
and Paul having laid on them `his' hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,
in the saying `new,' He hath made the first old, and what doth become obsolete and is old `is' nigh disappearing.
And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues; `are' all apostles? `are' all prophets? `are' all teachers? `are' all powers? have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
and now there doth remain faith, hope, love -- these three; and the greatest of these `is' love.
and I besought for thee, that thy faith may not fail; and thou, when thou didst turn, strengthen thy brethren.'
and to another in-workings of mighty deeds; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; and to another `divers' kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues:
If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling; 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;
and when that which is perfect may come, then that which `is' in part shall become useless.
so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
In this chapter the apostle goes on to show more particularly what that more excellent way was of which he had just before been speaking. He recommends it,
1Cr 13:1-3
Here the apostle shows what more excellent way he meant, or had in view, in the close of the former chapter, namely, charity, or, as it is commonly elsewhere rendered, love-agapeµ: not what is meant by charity in our common use of the word, which most men understand of alms-giving, but love in its fullest and most extensive meaning, true love to God and man, a benevolent disposition of mind towards our fellow-christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God. This living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which the apostle speaks, preferable to all gifts. Nay, without this the most glorious gifts are nothing, of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. He specifies,
1Cr 13:4-7
The apostle gives us in these verses some of the properties and effects of charity, both to describe and commend it, that we may know whether we have this grace and that if we have not we may fall in love with what is so exceedingly amiable, and not rest till we have obtained it. It is an excellent grace, and has a world of good properties belonging to it. As,
1Cr 13:8-13
Here the apostle goes on to commend charity, and show how much it is preferable to the gifts on which the Corinthians were so apt to pride themselves, to the utter neglect, and almost extinction, of charity. This he makes out,