Bible Commentaries
1 Corinthians 13

Verse 1

Though = If. App-118 .

speak . App-121 .

men . App-123 .

charity = love. App-135 .

sounding . Greek. echeo. Only here and Luke 21:25 (roaring).

brass . Greek. chalkos. See Matthew 10:9 . Revelation 18:12 . Elsewhere, Mark 6:8 ; Mark 12:41 ; (money).

tinkling . Greek. alalazo. Only here and Mark 5:38 . An onomatopoeic word. Frequent in the Septuagint of the battle shout; Joshua 6:20 . Judges 15:14 . 1 Samuel 17:20 , 1 Samuel 17:52 ; &c.

cymbal . Greek. kumbalon. Only here, but frequent in the Septuagint.

Verse 2

understand = know. App-132 .

mysteries . App-193 .

knowledge . App-132 .

faith . App-150 .

remove . Greek. methistemi. See Acts 13:22 .

nothing . Greek. oudeis.

Verse 3

bestow = give away in doles. Greek. psomizo. Only here and Romans 12:20 . Compare "sop", John 13:26 .

goods = the things belonging ( huparcho, Luke 9:48 ) to me.

give = deliver up. Greek. paradidomi. See John 19:30 .

to be = in order that (Greek. hina) it may be.

it profiteth, &c . = I am nothing profited.

Verse 4

is kind . Greek. chresteuomai. Only here. Compare App-184 . Note the Figure of speech Asyndeton in these verses: 1 Corinthians 13:13 , 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 .

envieth . Greek. zeloo. See Acts 7:9 .

vaunteth . Greek. perpereuomai. Only here.

is . . . puffed up . See 1 Corinthians 4:6 .

Verse 5

Doth . . . behave, &c . Greek. aschemoneo. Only here and 1 Corinthians 7:36 .

is . . . easily provoked = is . . . roused to anger. Greek. paroxunomai Only here and Acts 17:16 . There is no word for "easily". The statement is absolute.

thinketh no evil = reckons not (Greek. ou) the evil done to it).

evil . App-128 .

Verse 6

in = upon, or at. App-104 .

iniquity = unrighteousness. App-128 .

rejoiceth in the truth = rejoiceth with (as in 1 Corinthians 12:26 ) the truth, i.e. as it wins its way, truth being personified.

Verse 7

Beareth . Greek. stego. See 1 Corinthians 9:12 . Here it means "is forbearing in all provocations".

believeth . App-150 .

Verse 8

never . Greek. oudepote.

faileth . All the texts read "falleth".

whether . Greek. eite .

fail = be brought to nought. Greek. katargeo. See Romans 3:3 .

vanish away . Same as "fail".

Verse 9

know . App-132 .

in part . Greek. ek ( App-104 .) merous.

Verse 10

perfect . App-125 .

done away . Same as "fail", 1 Corinthians 13:8 .

Verse 11

child . App-108 .

thought = reasoned. Greek. logizomai.

put away = did away with. Greek. katargeo, as in verses: 1 Corinthians 13:8 , 1 Corinthians 13:10 .

childish things = the things of a child.

Verse 12

see . App-133 .

through . App-104 . 1 Corinthians 13:1 .

glass = mirror. Greek. esoptron. Only here and James 1:23 .

darkly . Literally in (Greek. en) a riddle. Greek. ainigma. Only here in N.T. In the Septuagint, Numbers 12:8 . 1 Kings 10:1 .Proverbs 13:1 , Proverbs 13:6 , &c.

know = fully know. App-132 .

even as, &c . = even as I was fully known also.

Verse 13

abideth . Greek. meno. See p. 1511.