But the Greatest of These Is Love

Paulo Veronese, "Christ Addressing Kneeling Woman"

Paulo Veronese, “Christ Addressing Kneeling Woman”

Spiritual Sunday

Today in the Episcopalian liturgy we read the Apostle Paul’s greatest poem (13:1-13). I’m posting the magnificent King James version, and while I’ve chosen the updated King James since I prefer the word “love” to “charity,” I can’t bear giving up “through a glass darkly” (instead of “in a mirror, dimly”) so have retained something of the original there. Other than that, I’ll just get out of the way for this timely reminder of what is most important in life:

1.Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 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, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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