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The Excellence of Love

¹ If I speak with the ^(C1)tongues of men and of ^(C2)angels, but have not ^(F1)love for others growing out of God's love for me, then I have become only a noisy gong or a ^(C3)clanging cymbal just an annoying distraction.² And if I have the gift of ^(C1)prophecy and speak a new message from God to the people, and understand all ^(C2)mysteries, and possess all ^(C3)knowledge; and if I have ^(C4)all sufficient faith so that I can ^(C5)remove mountains, but do not have love reaching out to others, I am nothing.³ If I ^(C1)give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I ^(C2)surrender my body ^(F1)to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

⁴ Love ^(C1)endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and ^(C2)is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not ^(C3)proud or arrogant.⁵ It is not rude; it ^(C1)is not self-seeking, it is not provoked nor overly sensitive and easily angered; it ^(C2)does not take into account a wrong endured.^6 (C1)It does not rejoice at injustice, but ^(C2)rejoices with the truth when right and truth prevail.^7 (C1)Love bears all things regardless of what comes, believes all things looking for the best in each one, hopes all things remaining steadfast during difficult times, endures all things without weakening.

⁸ Love never fails it never fades nor ends. But as for ^(C1)prophecies, they will pass away; as for ^(C2)tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.⁹ For we ^(C1)know in part, and we prophesy in part for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete.¹⁰ But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away.¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.¹² For now in this time of imperfection we ^(C1)see in a mirror dimly a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma, but then when the time of perfection comes we will see reality ^(C2)face to face. Now I know in part just in fragments, but then I will know fully, just as I ^(C3)have been fully known by God.¹³ And now there remain: faith abiding trust in God and His promises, hope confident expectation of eternal salvation, love unselfish love for others growing out of God's love for me, these three the choicest graces; but the greatest of these is ^(C1)love.