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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:1 - King James

Verse         Translation Text
1Co 13:1 King James Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
CHARITY OR LOVE SUPERIOR TO ALL GIFTS. (Co1 13:1-13)

tongues--from these he ascends to "prophecy" (Co1 13:2); then, to "faith"; then to benevolent and self-sacrificing deeds: a climax. He does not except even himself, and so passes from addressing them ("unto you," Co1 12:31) to putting the case in his own person, "Though I," &c.

speak with the tongues--with the eloquence which was so much admired at Corinth (for example, Apollos, Act 18:24; compare Co1 1:12; Co1 3:21-22), and with the command of various languages, which some at Corinth abused to purposes of mere ostentation (Co1 14:2, &c.).

of angels--higher than men, and therefore, it is to be supposed, speaking a more exalted language.

charity--the principle of the ordinary and more important gifts of the Spirit, as contrasted with the extraordinary gifts (1Co. 12:1-31).

sounding . . . tinkling--sound without soul or feeling: such are "tongues" without charity.

cymbal--Two kinds are noticed (Psa 150:5), the loud or clear, and the high-sounding one: hand cymbals and finger cymbals, or castanets. The sound is sharp and piercing.
 
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5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
2 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.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 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.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
2 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.
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.