1 Corinthians 13:2

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.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
And	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
though	ἐὰν ean	G1437	a conditional particle · conditional particle
have	ἔχω echō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active subjunctive, 1st person singular
prophecy	προφητείαν prophēteian	G4394	prediction (scriptural or other) · noun — accusative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
understand	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
all	πάντα panta	G3956	all · adjective — accusative plural neuter
mysteries	μυστήρια mustēria	G3466	a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence impo… · noun — accusative plural neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
all	πᾶσαν pasan	G3956	all · adjective — accusative singular feminine
knowledge	γνῶσιν, gnōsin	G1108	knowing (the act) · noun — accusative singular feminine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
though	ἐὰν ean	G1437	a conditional particle · conditional particle
have	ἔχω echō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active subjunctive, 1st person singular
all	πᾶσαν pasan	G3956	all · adjective — accusative singular feminine
faith	πίστιν pistin	G4102	persuasion · noun — accusative singular feminine
that	ὥστε hōste	G5620	so too · conjunction
remove	μεθιστάναι, methistanai	G3179	to transfer · verb — present active infinitive
mountains	ὄρη orē	G3735	perhaps akin to G142 (αἴρω) · noun — accusative plural neuter
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
have	ἔχω, echō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active subjunctive, 1st person singular
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
charity	ἀγάπην agapēn	G26	love · noun — accusative singular feminine
am	εἰμι. eimi	G1510	I exist (used only when emphatic) · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
nothing	οὐθέν outhen	G3762	not even one (man · adjective — nominative singular neuter

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 Corinthians 13:3 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.
1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God wh…
Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unt…
Matthew 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fi…
1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1 Corinthians 13:1 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.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Here the apostle shows what more excellent way he meant, or had in view, in the close of the former chapter, namely, charity, or, as it is commonly elsewhere rendered, love - agapē: not what is meant by charity in our common use of the word, which most men understand of alms - giving, but love in its fullest and most extensive meaning, true love to God and man, a benevolent disposition of mind towards our fellow-christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God. This living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which the apostle speaks, preferable to all gifts. Nay, without this the most glorious gifts are nothing, of no account to us, of no esteem in…

Read the whole note in the console

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 13:2

mysteries-- (Rom 11:25; Rom 16:25). Mysteries refer to the deep counsels of God hitherto secret, but now revealed to His saints. Knowledge, to truths long known. faith . . . remove mountains-- (Mat 17:20; Mat 21:21). The practical power of the will elevated by faith [NEANDER]; confidence in God that the miraculous result will surely follow the exercise of the will at the secret impulse of His Spirit. Without "love" prophecy, knowledge, and faith, are not what they seem (compare Co1 8:1-2; Mat 7:22; Jam 2:14; compare Co1 13:8), and so fail of the heavenly reward (Mat 6:2). Thus Paul, who teaches justification by faith only (Rom 3:4-5; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:7-14), is shown to agree with James, who…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 13:2

And though I have the gift of prophecy - Though I should have received from God the knowledge of future events, so that I could correctly foretell what is coming to pass in the world and in the Church: - And understand all mysteries - The meaning of all the types and figures in the Old Testament, and all the unexplored secrets of nature; and all knowledge - every human art and science; and though I have all faith - such miraculous faith as would enable me even to remove mountains; or had such powerful discernment in sacred things that I could solve the greatest difficulties, see the note on Mat 21:21, and have not charity - this love to God and man, as the principle and motive of all my con…

The Church Fathers

For "though I sell all my goods and give to the poor, and though I yield up my body to the fire, and though I have so great faith that I can remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
— Methodius of Olympus, Methodius Discourse IX. Tusiane

By faith, Paul does not mean the common and universal faith of believers but the spiritual gift of faith. The two things have the same name, because when the Holy Spirit comes upon us it is our human faith which expands to make room for the divine gift.
— Gennadius of Constantinople, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

This Gnostic, to speak compendiously, makes up for the absence of the apostles, by the rectitude of his life, the accuracy of his knowledge, by benefiting his relations, by "removing the mountains" of his neighbours, and putting away the irregularities of their soul. Although each of us is his own vineyard and labourer.
— Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 7

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Charity — (1 Cor. 13), the rendering in the Authorized Version of the word which properly denotes love, and is frequently so rendered (always so in the Revised Version). It is spoken of as the greatest of the…
Love — This word seems to require explanation only in the case of its use by our Lord in his interview with “Simon, the son of Jonas,” after his resurrection (John 21:16, 17). When our Lord says, “Lovest…
Mystery — The calling of the Gentiles into the Christian Church, so designated (Eph. 1:9, 10; 3:8-11; Col. 1:25-27); a truth undiscoverable except by revelation, long hid, now made manifest. The resurrection…
Charitableness · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Conduct, Christian · Loving one another — Loving one another
Gifts From God · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO BOTH TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO BOTH TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL
Graces · (Christian) — (Christian)
Love To Man · Supernatural gifts are nothing without — Supernatural gifts are nothing without
Miraculous Gifts Of The Holy Spirit · Might be possessed without saving grace — Might be possessed without saving grace
Prophecy · Gift of, sometimes possessed by unconverted men — Gift of, sometimes possessed by unconverted men
Religion · TRUE — TRUE
Righteousness

1 Corinthians 13:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 13:2

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 13:2

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 13:2

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 13:2

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 13:2

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 13:2

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 13:2