Bible Verse Lookup
1 Cor 13:5-7
Chapter 13
5
Love overcomes anger and forgives offenses.
6
It does not rejoice in wrongdoings but celebrates the truth.
7
Love forgives everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love overcomes anger and forgives offenses.
It does not rejoice in wrongdoings but celebrates the truth.
Love forgives everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Commentaries
Hymn to Christian Love.
Just as the body functions and is animated by organic processes, in the Church these are carried out by the super charism of love. At this point, Paul’s language becomes lyrical as he praises love.
How can this love be explained? Setting aside all definitions, Paul passionately dismisses and relativizes every human gift, quality, effort, renunciation, and sacrifice that is not motivated by love-charity (1-3). Then, he explains how a person who loves behaves (4-7), concluding that, ultimately, when we meet God face to face, faith and hope will have fulfilled their purpose and only love will endure forever. Only love for Christ and His body, now inseparable, can create community. As St. John of the Cross said, “on the last day we will be examined on love.”