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¹ For tho' I should speak with the eloquence of men, and of angels, and not have social affection, I should be like sounding brass, or a noisy cymbal. ² and tho' I should have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and tho' I had all the faith necessary to remove mountains, and had no benevolence, it would signify nothing. ³ and tho' I distribute my whole substance to the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not social affection, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Social affection is patient, is kind; is a stranger to envy; is not insolently vain, nor arrogant: does not behave indecently, ⁵ is not self-interested, is not easily provoked, nor suspects any ill; ⁶ it does not countenance injustice, but smiles upon virtue; ⁷ it excuses all things, believes what is favourable, hopes for the best, and suffers the worst.

⁸ Social affection will never fail: but as for prophecies, they shall be out of use; as for languages, they shall cease; as for knowledge, it shall vanish away. ⁹ for our knowledge is defective, and our prophesying is defective. ¹⁰ but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is defective shall be laid aside. ¹¹ when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child: but when I became a man, I laid aside my childish ways. ¹² now we do but indirectly see the faint images of things; but then the objects themselves will be before our eyes; now I have a partial knowledge, but then shall I know, even as I myself am known. ¹³ and now faith, hope, social virtue, these three will all remain; but the most permanent of the three is social virtue.