1 Corinthians 13:1

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.”

What this verse means

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1 in the flow of 1 Corinthians13 for its full sense, then follow the cross-references below to the passages that echo it. Open 1 Corinthians13 to see the surrounding context.

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BSBPD

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“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.”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

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

American Standard Version · Public Domain
YLTPD

“If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling;”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo 1 Corinthians 13:1 — 15 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Matthew 25:45Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’
  2. Romans 14:15If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
  3. 1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
  4. 1 Corinthians 12:8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit,
  5. 1 Corinthians 12:16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
  6. 1 Corinthians 12:29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
  7. 1 Corinthians 13:2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
  8. 1 Corinthians 13:8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.
  9. 1 Corinthians 14:6Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
  10. 2 Corinthians 12:4was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell.
  11. Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.
  12. Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
  13. 1 Timothy 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
  14. 1 Peter 4:8Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
  15. 2 Peter 2:18With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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