New English Bible of verses 4-7:
Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other men’s sins but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope and its endurance.
The Weymouth translation of verses 4 – 7:
“Agape is patient and kind. (It) knows neither envy nor jealousy. (It) is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited. (It) does not behave unbecomingly, nor seek to aggrandize itself, nor blaze out in passionate anger, nor brood over wrongs. (It) finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth. (It) knows how to be silent. (It) is full of trust, full of hope, full of patient endurance. Agape never fails.”
The Moffatt translation of verses 4 – 7:
Agape is very patient, very kind. (It) knows no jealousy; makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful. (It) is never glad when others go wrong, (it) is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient. Agape never disappears.”
The Phillips translation of verses 4 – 7:
“This agape of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. (It) has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Agape knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.”\
I Corinthians 13
| DO’S | DONT’S | BIG TAKEAWAYS |
| Love is patient | Love is not jealous | Love never fails |
| Love is kind | Love does not delight in evil | The Greatest of these is love |
| Love always protects | Love does not boast and is not proud | I Cor. Love Test—Replace “Love” with your name |
| Love always trusts | Love does not | |
| Love always hopes | Love is not rude | |
| Love always perseveres | Love is not self-seeking | |
| Love rejoices in truth | Love is not easily angered | |
| Love keeps no record of wrongs |
Love is giving with no thought of getting. It is tenderness enfolding with strength to protect. It is forgiveness without further thought of the thing forgiven. It is understanding of human weakness, with knowledge of the true man shining through. It is quiet in the midst of turmoil. It is trust in God with no thought of self. It is the one altogether lovely, the light in the mother’s eyes, the glory in the sacrifice, the quiet assurance of protection.
It is in the expectation of our Father’s promise coming true. It is the refusal to see anything but good in our fellowman. It is the glory that comes with selflessness and the power that comes with assurance of the Father’s love for His Children. It’s the voice that says “no” to our brother, though “yes” might be more easily said. It is resistance to the world’s lust and greed, thus becoming a positive law of annihilations to error.
Love….the one thing no one can take from us…the one thing we can give constantly and become increasingly rich in the giving. Love can take no offense, for it cannot know that which it does not of itself conceive. It cannot hurt or be hurt, for it is the purest reflection of God, Good.. It is the one eternal, indestructible force for Good. It is the will of God, preparing, planning, proposing always what is best for His universe.
SOMETHING REALLY WORTH HAVING
I Corinthians 13:4-8 paraphrased and explained
“Love is patient and kind…”
Yes, even after having said something again and again and again, love doesn’t explode, stamp its feet, or toot its horn. It accepts that all humans stumble and fall. Instead of accusing: “Yes always…”or “You never…” it avoids judgment and searches for opportunity to be constructive. It is cheerfully interruptible, and never too busy to just listen.
“Love is never jealous or envious….”
It doesn’t have to compete, control others, or be defensive. It is not petty or insecure or afraid to let go. It doesn’t suffocate or smother, clutch or cling. It trusts others and gives them the right to be different and free.
“Love is never boastful or proud….”
It doesn’t parade, over-dress, leave big notes or drop big names. It is in no hurry to say “I did it” or “Where would you be without me?” Love doesn’t demand a pat on the head or a round of applause. It’s not afraid of losing face, and is quick to say “I’m sorry—my mistake” or “I blew it—please forgive me.”
“Love is never haughty or selfish or rude…”
It is courteous, never pushy, able to give way, happy to say “Thanks!” It doesn’t need to be first, in front; it isn’t blunt, doesn’t butt in or shoot off its mouth. It accepts and cares about itself in a healthy, responsible way and treats others with the same respect.
“Love does not demand its own way….”
It doesn’t pout, bully or blackmail other. It doesn’t threaten “ I won’t be your friend,” “I won’t pay with you anymore,” or “I’ll take my ball and go home.” Not seeking control, it says “Let’s do this together!” It seeks to encourage others without shoving or shouting, leaving them room to grow.
“Love is not irritable or touchy….”
It does not snap or snarl, or give others the silent treatment. When it climbs out of bed on the wrong side, it tries not to spread its mood over neighbors. It knows and accepts its own limits, and makes others feel better about theirs.
“Love does not hold grudges….”
It doesn’t compile statistics, keep the score, or chalk up words of anger. It isn’t easy to offend, forgets hurts, doesn’t seek revenge, and refuses to build walls that shut people off from each other. It chooses to forgive, presenting it to others the gift of a new start.
“Love is never glad about injustice…”
It never cheers when someone is found lacking or gloats when someone goes down. It won’t paint over the cracks, sell the truth, or water it down for some personal advantage. It doesn’t stand passive while someone gets a rotten deal, but goes out of a limb to see that right is done.
“There is nothing that love cannot face…”
It can cope with the unwanted, the unplanned, the unpleasant, the unchangeable, or the unending. It never shouts: “This is the last time…! Or “If you do that again…!” or “I’m not going any further…!”
“Love never stops believing, never gives up hope, always endures…”
Love persists and doesn’t quit no matter how dark the issue or bleak the outlook. It says what it means, means what it says, and outlasts, outruns, and outlives anyone or anything anywhere.
“Love will never come to an end…”
It really is the answer. It’s the only thing that works when nothing else will. After other remedies have withered away, wound down, or worn out, love with wisdom will still be manifest.
“God is love…”
And this kind of love is God’s. Maybe He can help us become the lovers he wishes us to be.
Faithbuilders Fellowship
From A Most Excellent Way of Love July-Aug 2022
1 Corinthians 13 is the Apostle Paul’s wonderfully thorough description of agape love—how it is manifested through actions, endurance, tolerance, and restraint.
He says, first, that love is patient. We are all uniquely different and even those who we are close to, such as our family, spouse, coworkers, and Christian brethren, say things or behave in ways that can surprise or irritate us. Love should direct us to be patient and accepting of these differences.
When these differences or irritations stress our patience to the limit and we feel we must say something, love should operate to restrain us from speaking sharply. Thus, love is kind in its expression.
Love is not jealous. It does not envy what others have or enjoy. Agape love at its core is about seeking and doing what is good for and what will bless others even at personal expense or loss. In providing the Ransom, both God and Jesus demonstrated this. Jealousy and envy are the opposite of agape. We should be on high alert to notice any tendency to be envious of the relationships, possessions, or opportunities of others.
Love does not brag and is not arrogant. Love should prevent us from flaunting the special deeds we have done or successes we have. Sometimes, this is very hard to do when you have done something special for another person or you have a personal success, and the other person seems not to notice or appreciate it.
Love is not ill-mannered. It is not rude. Love directs us to act and speak appropriately and discreetly in all situations regardless of the actions or words of others.
Love is not selfish. It is so easy in our stressful lives to think first of “what I need.” But if love is controlling our heart, it will direct us to look out for the interests of others first.
Love is not easily angered. Love will not assume that the occasional unpleasant mood or comment of another is a personal attack or criticism. With love fully in control, such occasions will not turn into arguments or sharp exchanges.
Love does not keep a record of wrongs others do. It will not “keep score.” Love will forgive a wrong suffered and reject the temptation to bring it up at a later time.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. Love should prevent us from gloating over the wrong or failing of others. Love will remind us that “I also have faults,” and direct us to notice the good in others and rejoice in it.
Love endures all things. It will endure through the misunderstandings and hurts that occur in any and every relationship. It will cover over these things in the hope that a resolution to problems can be found, at least eventually. The important thing is to never let your heart become hardened toward another.
Love always trusts. It takes the statements and actions of others at face value. It does not read hidden motives into what others say or do.
Love’s hope never fades. It always hopes for the very best. Love’s hope for positive outcomes or the resolution of problems continues on even when evidence for it is scarce.
Love always perseveres. Love can outlast every possible difficulty.
Paul’s final statement about love is that it never fails. Just like God’s word never fails to accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:11), agape, which comes from God, never fails. God’s love outlasts the waywardness of humanity. His love will succeed in rescuing mankind from the brink of utter failure.