1 Corinthians 13 If ever I could habitually speak (or as an indicative: If I continuously speak) in or with the languages of the human groups (or: by the tongues of mankind) – or even of the agents (or: messengers) – yet am not constantly having and continuously holding love, I have come to be a continuously sounding (or: blaring; booming out; resounding) piece of brass (or: copper; bronze) or a repeatedly clashing basin or a continuously clanging cymbal!

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ If ever I could habitually speak (or as an indicative: If I continuously speak) in or with the languages of the human groups (or: by the tongues of mankind) – or even of the agents (or: messengers) – yet am not constantly having and continuously holding love, I have come to be a continuously sounding (or: blaring; booming out; resounding) [piece of] brass (or: copper; bronze) or a repeatedly clashing basin or a continuously clanging cymbal! ² Even if I am continuously holding light ahead of time (or: repeatedly have prophecy), and I may have seen, and thus know, all the secrets (or: every mystery) and all the intimate knowledge (or: insight; gnosis), and if I now continuously possess all the faith and trust – so as to repeatedly transport mountains (or: to change the place and position of mountain after mountain) – yet do not habitually possess (or: progressively have) love, I am (I exist being) nothing! ³ If further I should dole out all my habitual subsistences in morsels of food – even if I should hand over my body! – so that I could boast [C, D and other later MSS read: so that I will be burned], and yet do not habitually possess and progressively have love, I continue being benefited (furthered; augmented; helped; profited) in not even one thing. [note: love (agape) – "unambiguous love;" "an ecstatic manifestation of the Spiritual Presence;" "the drive toward reunion;" "participation in the other one;" "the acceptance of the other one as a person... the power of reunion with the other person as one standing on the same ultimate ground..." – Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology III, pp 134-137; Perspectives on 19th and 20th Century Protestant Theology, p 200] ⁴ The Love (or: This love) is habitually even-tempered, taking a long time to be in a heat of passion (is constantly long-enduring and patient; continues long-suffering; is slow to progress toward feelings which cause violent breathing or rushing emotions) – it continues being usefully kind. The Love (or: This love) is not constantly boiling with jealousy and envy. The Love is not continuously bragging or “showing off” – it is not habitually being puffed up; it is not conceited or arrogant. ⁵ It is not repeatedly indecent in manner or behavior (it does not continually display lack of [good] form, rudeness or improper demeanor); it is not habitually self-seeking (or: not constantly pursuing its own interests or rights); it is not continually caused to be sharp [in response] nor aroused to irritation or upset emotions; it is not habitually keeping account of the worthless thing, nor logically considering something of bad quality, nor counting the injury. ⁶ It does not continue to rejoice upon [seeing or hearing of] the injustice, nor is it happy about dishonesty, inequity, or lack of the qualities of the Way pointed out, yet it repeatedly rejoices with the Truth (or: takes delight together in Reality). ⁷ [Love] continuously covers all mankind; it is habitually loyal to all humanity; it constantly has an expectation for all mankind; it is continuously remaining under and giving support to all people. (or, since “all” can also be neuter: It progressively puts a protecting roof over all things; it is habitually trusting in, and believing for, all things; it is continually hoping in or for all things; it keeps on patiently enduring all things.) ⁸ The Love (or, again: This love) never – not even once – fails (falls out or lapses; = becomes fruitless or ineffectual; [other MSS: falls down; collapses]). Now, whether prophecies (or: situations of light ahead of time) will be rendered useless and unproductive (or: idled-down to be inactive and unemployed, discarded or, nullified) or languages will stop themselves (or: tongues will restrain themselves so as to cease [speaking]; “utterances of ecstasy” will cease of themselves), or whether intimate or experiential knowledge (or: insight; gnosis) will be rendered useless and unproductive (be idled-down to be inactive and unemployed, discarded or, nullified) ⁹ – for we are progressively gaining intimate and experiential knowledge from out of a part (insight from a piece; gnosis from the midst of a portion of the whole), and we are habitually prophesying (speaking publicly before others and sharing light ahead of time) from out of a part (a portion; a piece of the whole) – ¹⁰ still, whenever the destined goal (the mature person; the finished product; maturity; the complete attainment of the purpose; perfection) should (or: may; would) come, that which is out of a part (a piece; a portion) will be progressively rendered useless and unproductive (idled-down to be inactive, unemployed or discarded). ¹¹ When I was an infant (a baby; a non-speaking one), I used to babble and make vocal utterances as a non-speaking infant. I used to habitually be in the frame of mind, take thought with the intellect and understand as a non-speaking infant (baby). I continued taking account, reasoning and logically considering things as a non-speaking infant. Yet when I had come to be an adult male, I had permanently made inactive (idled-down so as to be no longer used and discarded) the things which pertain to a non-speaking infant (infantile things). ¹² For you see, at the present moment we continue seeing and observing through means of a metal mirror, within the midst of an enigma (the result of something obscurely expressed, hinted or intimated, giving an indistinct image), but then [it will be] face to face. Right now I am progressively coming to intimately and experientially know from out of a part (gain insight from a piece; be acquainted with a portion of the whole), but then I shall fully and accurately know and recognize, from intimate experience and added insight, correspondingly as I am also fully and accurately known, by intimate experience. ¹³ So at the present time trust (or: faith; loyalty; trustworthiness), expectation (or: expectant hope) [and] love – these three – continue remaining and habitually dwell [with us], yet the greatest of these [is] the Love (the urge toward unambiguous, accepting reunion). You folks make haste to progressively run after and continuously pursue the Love!