New Testament Greek Online

St. Paul left Antioch in 46 A.D. on his first missionary journey, working in Galatia for two years, and then in the summer of 48 A.D. going to Macedonia until April 50 A.D. From there he went briefly to Athens, and then to Corinth in June of 50 A.D., staying until September of 51 A.D., when he left for a conference in Jerusalem. In the latter part of that year he went to Antioch and from there to Ephesus where he stayed from August, 52 A.D. to October, 54 A.D. During the early part of 54 A.D. a delegation consisting of Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived from Corinth, with a letter (1 Corinthians 16:17) that informed Paul of problems with the church there (1 Corinthians 7:1). Paul then wrote his first letter to the church at Corinth, sending it to them with the returning delegation. In the letter, he is primarily concerned with healing the factionalism that was reported to him. Reviewing the problems would be too lengthy for treatment here. The core of his answer is found in the remarkable Chapter 13.

Reading and Textual Analysis

1 Corinthians 13:1-13, and 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (memory verse)

This chapter is one of the great pieces of world literature. St. Paul sees ἀγάπη as the basis of Christianity and of life in the church, as well as the path to future blessedness. At the time of the King James translation, English still had two words for the emotion. These days the basic meaning of the term used to translate ἀγάπη in Chapter 13 has become the effects of love directed to others, leaving English with only one general term. Paul used several words, as in Romans 12. In verse nine he uses the general term in the statement: ἡ ἀγάπη ἀνυπόκριτος 'let love be without hypocrisy'; he then goes on with a more specific term: φιλαδελφία 'brotherly love'. The Latin translation uses dilectio for the first, and caritatem fraternitatis for the second. Dilectio is also the translation for 'love' as defined by Jesus in St. John 15:9 and 13: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends," where the Greek has ἀγάπη. ʼΑγάπη is clearly the general term, with implications as indicated by St. Paul in this chapter.

13:1 - ʼΕὰν ται̂ς γλώσσαις τω̂ν ἀνθρώπων λαλω̂ καὶ τω̂ν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχω̂ν ʼή κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον.

• ἐὰν -- conjunction; <ἐάν> if -- if
• ται̂ς -- article; dative plural feminine of <ὁ> the -- (with) the
• γλώσσαις -- noun, feminine; dative plural of <γλω̂σσα> tongue, language -- languages
• τω̂ν -- article; genitive plural masculine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀνθρώπων -- noun, masculine; genitive plural of <ʼάνθρωπος> human being -- of humans
• λαλω̂ -- verb; 1st person singular present of <λαλέω> speak -- I speak
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• τω̂ν -- article; genitive plural masculine of <ὁ> the -- the
• ἀγγέλων -- noun, masculine; genitive plural of <ʼάγγελος> angel -- of angels
• ἀγάπην -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• μὴ -- particle; <μή> not -- not
• ʼέχω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <ʼέχω> have -- do ...have
• γέγονα -- deponent verb; 1st person singular perfect of <γίγνομαι> happen, become -- I have become
• χαλκὸς -- noun, masculine; nominative singular of <χαλκός> brass -- brass
• ἠχω̂ν -- verb; nominative singular masculine of participle of <ἠχέω> sound, ring -- sounding
• ʼή -- conjunction; <ʼή> or, than -- or
• κύμβαλον -- noun, neuter; nominative singular of <κύμβαλον> cymbal -- cymbal
• ἀλαλάζον -- adjective; nominative singular neuter of participle of <ἀλαλάζω> tinkle -- tinkling

13:2 - καὶ ἐὰν ʼέχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδω̂ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πα̂σαν τὴν γνω̂σιν, κʼὰν ʼέχω πα̂σαν τὴν πίστιν ʽώστε ʼόρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.

• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• ἐὰν -- conjunction; <ἐάν> if -- if
• ʼέχω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <ʼέχω> have -- I have
• προφητείαν -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <προφητεία> prophecy -- (the gift of) prophecy
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• εἰδω̂ -- verb; 1st person singular present of <εἰδω̂> know -- I know
• τὰ -- article; accusative plural neuter of <ὁ> the -- the
• μυστήρια -- noun, neuter; accusative plural of <μυστήριον> mystery -- mysteries
• πάντα -- adjective; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• πα̂σαν -- adjective; accusative singular feminine of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all
• τὴν -- article; accusative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• γνω̂σιν -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <γνω̂σις> knowledge -- knowledge
• κʼὰν -- conjunction; <κʼάν> and if -- and if
• ʼέχω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <ʼέχω> have -- I have
• πα̂σαν -- adjective; accusative singular feminine of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all
• τὴν -- article; accusative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• πίστιν -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <πίστις> faith -- faith
• ʽώστε -- conjunction; <ʽώστε> like, so that -- so that
• ʼόρη -- noun, neuter; accusative plural of <ʼόρος> mountain -- mountains
• μεθιστάναι -- verb; infinitive of <μεθίστημι> move -- to move
• ἀγάπην -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• μὴ -- particle; <μή> not -- not
• ʼέχω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <ʼέχω> have -- do ...have
• οὐθέν -- pronoun; nominative singular neuter of <οὐδείς, οὐδεμία, οὐδέν> no one, nothing -- nothing
• εἰμι -- verb; 1st person singular present of <εἰμί> I am -- I am

13:3 - κʼὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδω̂ τὸ σω̂μά μου ʽίνα καυθήσομαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελου̂μαι.

• κʼὰν -- conjunction; <κʼάν> and if -- and if
• ψωμίσω -- verb; 1st person singular future of <ψωμίζω> feed with sops -- I will feed...in driblets
• πάντα -- adjective; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all
• τὰ -- article; accusative plural neuter of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ὑπάρχοντά -- participle used as substantive; accusative plural neuter of participle of <ὑπάρχω> belong to -- belongings
• μου -- pronoun; genitive singular masculine of <ἐγώ> I -- my
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• ἐὰν -- conjunction; <ἐάν> if -- if
• παραδω̂ -- verb; 1st person plural future of <παραδίδωμι> give to -- give
• τὸ -- article; accusative singular neuter of <ὁ> the -- ...
• σω̂μά -- noun, neuter; accusative singular of <σω̂μα> body -- body
• μου -- pronoun; genitive singular masculine of <ἐγώ> I -- my
• ʽίνα -- conjunction; <ʽίνα> so that -- so that
• καυθήσομαι -- verb; 1st person singular future passive of <καίω> burn (up) -- I will be burned up
• ἀγάπην -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• μὴ -- particle; <μή> not -- not
• ʼέχω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <ʼέχω> have -- I do ...have
• οὐδὲν -- pronoun; accusative singular neuter of <οὐδείς, οὐδεμία, οὐδέν> no one, nothing -- nothing
• ὠφελου̂μαι -- verb; 1st person singular present passive of <ὠφελέω> to help, be of use -- I am helped in (I profit)

13:4 - ʽΗ ἀγάπη μακροθυμει̂, χρηστεύεται ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐ ζηλοι̂, ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιου̂ται,

• ἡ -- article; nominative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• μακροθυμει̂ -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <μακροθυμέω> to be longsuffering -- is longsuffering
• χρηστεύεται -- verb; 3rd person singular present middle of <χρηστεύομαι> to be kind and good -- is kind and good
• ἡ -- article; nominative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• ζηλοι̂ -- verb; 3rd person singular present subjunctive of <ζηλόω> envy, be jealous -- is ...envious
• ἡ -- article; nominative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• περπερεύεται -- verb; 3rd person singular present middle of <περπερεύομαι> boast -- does ... boast
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• φυσιου̂ται -- verb; 3rd person singular present passive of <φυσιόω> puff up -- is ... puffed up

13:5 - οὐκ ἀσχημονει̂, οὐ ζητει̂ τὰ ἑαυτη̂ς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν,

• οὐκ -- particle; <οὐκ> not -- not
• ἀσχημονει̂ -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <ἀσχημονέω> behave unseemly -- does ...behave unseemly
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• ζητει̂ -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <ζητέω> seek -- does ...seek
• τὰ -- article; accusative plural neuter of <ὁ> the -- the (things)
• ἑαυτη̂ς -- reflexive pronoun; genitive singular feminine of <ἑαυτου̂> oneself -- of its own
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• παροξύνεται -- verb; 3rd person singular present passive of <παροξύνω> anger, provoke -- is ...provoked
• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• λογίζεται -- verb; 3rd person singular present middle of <λογίζομαι> calculate, think -- does ... think
• τὸ -- article; accusative singular neuter of <ὁ> the -- ...
• κακόν -- adjective used as substantive; accusative singular neuter of <κακός> evil; poor -- evil

13:6 - οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῃ̂ ἀδικίᾳ, συγχαίρει δὲ τῃ̂ ἀληθείᾳ.

• οὐ -- particle; <οὐ> not -- not
• χαίρει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <χαίρω> rejoice -- does ...rejoice
• ἐπὶ -- preposition; <ἐπί> on, about -- over
• τῃ̂ -- article; dative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀδικίᾳ -- noun, feminine; dative singular of <ἀδικία> wrong-doing -- in wrong-doing
• συγχαίρει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <συγχαίρω> rejoice with -- joins in rejoicing
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• τῃ̂ -- article; dative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- in the
• ἀληθείᾳ -- noun, feminine; dative singular of <ἀληθεία> truth -- truth

13:7 - πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει.

• πάντα -- adjective used as substantive; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all things
• στέγει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <στέγω> endure -- endures
• πάντα -- adjective used as substantive; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all things
• πιστεύει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <πιστεύω> believe -- believes
• πάντα -- adjective used as substantive; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all things
• ἐλπίζει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <ἐλπίζω> hope -- hopes
• πάντα -- adjective used as substantive; accusative plural neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all things
• ὑπομένει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <ὑπομένω> be patient under -- is patient under

13:8 - ʽΗ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει; εʼίτε δὲ προφητει̂αι, καταργηθήσονται; εʼίτε γλω̂σσαι, παύσονται; εʼίτε γνω̂σις, καταργηθήσεται.

• ἡ -- article; nominative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• οὐδέποτε -- adverb; <οὐδέποτε> never -- never
• πίπτει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <πίπτω> fall -- fails
• εʼίτε -- conjunction; <εʼίτε> whether...or -- whether
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• προφητει̂αι -- noun, feminine; nominative plural of <προφητεία> prophecy -- (there are) prophecies
• καταργηθήσονται -- verb; 3rd person plural future passive of <καταργέω> make of no effect -- they will fail
• εʼίτε -- conjunction; <εʼίτε> whether...or -- or
• γλω̂σσαι -- noun, feminine; nominative plural of <γλω̂σσα> tongue, language -- (there are) tongues
• παύσονται -- verb; 3rd person plural future passive of <παύω> stop, cease -- they will cease
• εʼίτε -- conjunction; <εʼίτε> whether...or -- or
• γνω̂σις -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <γνω̂σις> knowledge -- (there is) knowledge
• καταργηθήσεται -- verb; 3rd person singular future passive of <καταργέω> make of no effect -- (it will) vanish

13:9 - ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν.

• ἐκ -- preposition; <ἐκ> from, out of -- in
• μέρους -- noun, neuter; genitive singular of <μέρος> part -- part
• γὰρ -- conjunction; <γάρ> for -- for
• γινώσκομεν -- verb; 1st person plural present of <γινώσκω> know, learn -- we know
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- and
• ἐκ -- preposition; <ἐκ> from, out of -- in
• μέρους -- noun, neuter; genitive singular of <μέρος> part -- part
• προφητεύομεν -- verb; 1st person plural present of <προφητεύω> prophesy -- we prophesy

13:10 - ʽόταν δὲ ʼέλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.

• ʽόταν -- conjunction; <ʽόταν> when, every time -- when
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• ʼέλθῃ -- deponent verb; 3rd person singular aorist subjunctive middle of <ʼέρχομαι> come, go -- shall come
• τὸ -- article; nominative singular neuter of <ὁ> the -- that which is
• τέλειον -- noun, neuter; nominative singular of <τέλειον> fulfilled, perfect -- perfect
• τὸ -- article; nominative singular neuter of <ὁ> the -- that (which is)
• ἐκ -- preposition; <ἐκ> from, out of -- in
• μέρους -- noun, neuter; genitive singular of <μέρος> part -- part
• καταργηθήσεται -- verb; 3rd person singular future passive of <καταργέω> make of no effect -- will be abolished

13:11 - ʽότε ʼη̂μην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος.

• ʽότε -- conjunction; <ʽότε> when -- when
• ʼη̂μην -- verb; 1st person plural imperfect of <εἰμί> I am -- (we) I was
• νήπιος -- adjective; nominative singular masculine of <νήπιος> childish, foolish -- a child
• ἐλάλουν -- verb; 1st person singular imperfect of <λαλέω> speak -- I spoke
• ὡς -- conjunction; <ὡς> as, thus -- like
• νήπιος -- adjective; nominative singular masculine of <νήπιος> childish, foolish -- a child
• ἐφρόνουν -- verb; 3rd person singular imperfect of <φρονέω> understand -- I understood
• ὡς -- conjunction; <ὡς> as, thus -- like
• νήπιος -- adjective; nominative singular masculine of <νήπιος> childish, foolish -- a child
• ἐλογιζόμην -- verb; 1st person plural imperfect of <ἐλογίζω> think -- I thought
• ὡς -- conjunction; <ὡς> as, thus -- like
• νήπιος -- adjective; nominative singular masculine of <νήπιος> childish, foolish -- a child

ʽότε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήγορηκα τὰ του̂ νηπίου.

• ʽότε -- conjunction; <ʽότε> when -- when
• γέγονα -- deponent verb; 1st person singular perfect of <γίγνομαι> happen, become -- I became
• ἀνήρ -- noun, masculine; nominative singular of <ἀνήρ> man -- a man
• κατήγορηκα -- verb; 1st person singular perfect of <κατηγορέω> speak against -- I spoke against
• τὰ -- article used as pronoun; accusative plural neuter of <ὁ> the -- the (things)
• του̂ -- article; genitive singular masculine of <ὁ> the -- of the
• νηπίου -- adjective; genitive singular masculine of <νήπιος> childish, foolish -- child

13:12 - βλέπομεν γὰρ ʼάρτι δι' ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον; ʼάρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

• βλέπομεν -- verb; 1st person plural present of <βλέπω> see -- we see
• γὰρ -- conjunction; <γάρ> for -- for
• ʼάρτι -- adverb; <ʼάρτι> now -- now
• δι' -- preposition; <διά> through, by -- through
• ἐσόπτρου -- noun, neuter; genitive singular of <ʼέσοπτρον> mirror -- a mirror
• ἐν -- preposition; <ἐν> in -- in
• αἰνίγματι -- noun, neuter; dative singular of <αʼίνιγμα> riddle -- riddle(s)
• τότε -- adverb; <τότε> then -- then
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• πρόσωπον -- noun, neuter; nominative singular of <πρόσωπον> face -- face
• πρὸς -- preposition; <πρός> to -- to
• πρόσωπον -- noun, neuter; accusative singular of <πρόσωπον> face -- face
• ʼάρτι -- adverb; <ʼάρτι> now -- now
• γινώσκω -- verb; 1st person singular present of <γινώσκω> know, learn -- I know
• ἐκ -- preposition; <ἐκ> from, out of -- in
• μέρους -- noun, neuter; genitive singular of <μέρος> part -- part
• τότε -- adverb; <τότε> then -- then
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• ἐπιγνώσομαι -- verb; 1st person singular future of <ἐπιγιγνώσκω> know, discover -- I shall know
• καθὼς -- conjunction; <καθώς> as -- as
• καὶ -- conjunction; <καί> and -- also
• ἐπεγνώσθην -- verb; 1st person singular aorist passive of <ἐπιγιγνώσκω> know, discover -- I have been known

13:13 - νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη, τὰ τρία ταυ̂τα; μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη.

• νυνὶ -- adverb; <νυνί> now -- now
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• μένει -- verb; 3rd person singular present of <μένω> remain -- (there) remain
• πίστις -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <πίστις> faith -- faith
• ἐλπίς -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἐλπίς> hope -- hope
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- love
• τὰ -- article; nominative plural neuter of <ὁ> the -- ...
• τρία -- number; nominative plural neuter of <τρει̂ς> three -- three
• ταυ̂τα -- demonstrative pronoun; nominative plural neuter of <οʽυ̂τος> this -- these
• μείζων -- adjective; nominative singular masculine of comparative of <μέγας> great -- greatest
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• τούτων -- demonstrative pronoun; genitive plural neuter of <οʽυ̂τος> this -- of these
• ἡ -- article; nominative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• ἀγάπη -- noun, feminine; nominative singular of <ἀγάπη> love -- (is)love

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (memory verse) - Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ κύριος τη̂ς εἰρήνης δῴη ὑμι̂ν τὴν εἰρήνην διὰ παντὸς ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. ʽΟ κύριος μετὰ πάντων ὑμω̂ν.

• αὐτὸς -- pronoun; nominative singular masculine of <αὐτός> oneself, he -- himself
• δὲ -- particle; <δέ> and, on the other hand -- but
• ὁ -- article; nominative singular masculine of <ὁ> the -- the
• κύριος -- noun, masculine; nominative singular of <κύριος> lord -- Lord
• τη̂ς -- article; genitive singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• εἰρήνης -- noun, feminine; genitive singular of <εἰρήνη> peace -- peace
• δῴη -- verb; 3rd person singular aorist optative of <δίδωμι> give -- may . . .give
• ὑμι̂ν -- pronoun; dative plural masculine of <σύ> you -- you
• τὴν -- article; accusative singular feminine of <ὁ> the -- ...
• εἰρήνην -- noun, feminine; accusative singular of <εἰρήνη> peace -- peace
• διὰ -- preposition; <διά> through, by -- ...
• παντὸς -- adjective; genitive singular neuter of <πα̂ς> all, every -- continually
• ἐν -- preposition; <ἐν> in -- in
• παντὶ -- adjective; dative singular masculine of <πα̂ς> all, every -- every
• τρόπῳ -- noun, masculine; dative singular of <τρόπος> manner -- manner
• ὁ -- article; nominative singular masculine of <ὁ> the -- the
• κύριος -- noun, masculine; nominative singular of <κύριος> lord -- Lord
• μετὰ -- preposition; <μετά> after, with -- (be) with
• πάντων -- adjective; genitive plural masculine of <πα̂ς> all, every -- all
• ὑμω̂ν -- pronoun; genitive plural masculine of <σύ> you -- you

Lesson Text

^13:1 ʼΕὰν ται̂ς γλώσσαις τω̂ν ἀνθρώπων λαλω̂ καὶ τω̂ν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχω̂ν ʼή κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον. ^13:2 καὶ ἐὰν ʼέχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδω̂ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πα̂σαν τὴν γνω̂σιν, κʼὰν ʼέχω πα̂σαν τὴν πίστιν ʽώστε ʼόρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, οὐθέν εἰμι. ^13:3 κʼὰν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ ἐὰν παραδω̂ τὸ σω̂μά μου ʽίνα καυθήσομαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ʼέχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελου̂μαι.

^13:4 ʽΗ ἀγάπη μακροθυμει̂, χρηστεύεται ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐ ζηλοι̂, ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιου̂ται, ^13:5 οὐκ ἀσχημονει̂, οὐ ζητει̂ τὰ ἑαυτη̂ς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν, ^13:6 οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῃ̂ ἀδικίᾳ, συγχαίρει δὲ τῃ̂ ἀληθείᾳ. ^13:7 πάντα στέγει, πάντα πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει. ^13:8 ʽΗ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει; εʼίτε δὲ προφητει̂αι, καταργηθήσονται; εʼίτε γλω̂σσαι, παύσονται; εʼίτε γνω̂σις, καταργηθήσεται. ^13:9 ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν. ^13:10 ʽόταν δὲ ʼέλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.

^13:11 ʽότε ʼη̂μην νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος. ʽότε γέγονα ἀνήρ, κατήγορηκα τὰ του̂ νηπίου. ^13:12 βλέπομεν γὰρ ʼάρτι δι' ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι, τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον; ʼάρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους, τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην.

^13:13 νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις, ἐλπίς, ἀγάπη, τὰ τρία ταυ̂τα; μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (memory verse) - Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ κύριος τη̂ς εἰρήνης δῴη ὑμι̂ν τὴν εἰρήνην διὰ παντὸς ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. ʽΟ κύριος μετὰ πάντων ὑμω̂ν.

Translation

From the King James version:
^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. 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. 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.

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spake 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 shall I know even as also I am known.

¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (memory verse) --
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

References

46. Texts.

The text of the New Testament has probably been examined like no other. It is based on numerous manuscripts. There are four important ones: Codex Vaticanus in Rome; Codex Sinaiticus in Leningrad; Codex Alexandrinus in the British Museum; Codex Ephraemi rescriptus in Paris. These were prepared in the fourth and fifth centuries. There are numerous others, some with Greek and Latin in parallel pages or columns, as well as Syrian and Egyptian versions, and also quotations in the church fathers. The variants among these are slight, so that current editions of the text are comparable.

A convenient modern text is that of Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort, The New Testament in the Original Greek (New York: Macmillan, 1893), often reprinted. It includes notes and a Greek-English lexicon. The text used here is that of D. Eberhard Nestle, Novum Testamentum Graece (Stuttgart: Wuerttembergische Bibelanstalt, 1898), often reprinted.

47. Grammars.

Similarly, the grammar of the language has been thoroughly and repeatedly presented. For a large work one may consult A Grammar of New Testament Greek Vol. I, 3rd ed. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1908) by James Hope Moulton; Vol. II (1928) by James Hope Moulton and Wilbert Francis Howard; and Vol. III (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1963) by Nigel Turner, all often reprinted. A shorter work is A New Short Grammar of the Greek Testament (New York: Smith, 1931) by A. T. Robertson and W. Hersey Davis, with a useful bibliography and credit to Moulton. While the language has undergone changes since the classical period, as the bibliography of Robertson and Davis implies, a grammar of the classical language is satisfactory for understanding the grammar of the language except for specific details that are not essential in interpreting the texts. The most comprehensive grammar is that of Eduard Schwyzer, Griechische Grammatik I-III (Munich: Beck, 1939-53).

48. Dictionaries.

There are dictionaries devoted specifically to New Testament Greek, such as that in the Wetcott-Hort edition, but general dictionaries also cover the language. Accordingly, one may conveniently use An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, founded upon the seventh edition of Lidddell and Scott's Greek-English lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon, 1889), often reprinted.

49. Specialized handbooks.

The number of works on the New Testament is enormous. For example, a short book of 220 pages: A Preface to Mark, by Christopher Bryan (New York: Oxford, 1993), includes a bibliography of sixteen pages, concluding with two items on videotape, one distributed by the American Bible Society (1865 Broadway, New York, NY, 10023). As another example of their age, extent, and diversity, we may cite the translation of the Commentary on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians by St. Thomas Aquinas by F. R. Larcher (Albany, NY: Magi, 211 pages).

For a general work in a "historical nontheological approach," one may consult The New Testament. A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings by Bart D. Ehrman (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000, 2nd ed., 465 pages), with suggestions for further readings in the text but no bibliography. A work written to encourage "a maximum of observation of the text itself" is The Word of the Lord Grows: A First Historical Introduction to the New Testament by Martin H. Franzmann (St. Louis: Concordia, 1961). Among more specialized works of interest is Paul: A Critical Life by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor (New York: Oxford, 1996). Encyclopedias should not be overlooked when seeking information on the major figures and the Christian church itself.

It is hardly necessary to state that there are many translations. Choice among them may be left to the interest of individuals. One produced by a classicist may be of interest, not only for its treatment of each of the gospels as continuous works rather than made up of chapters and verses: The Four Gospels: a new translation from the Greek by E.V. Rieu, (Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1953, 250 pages), subsequently reprinted. The tone of Rieu's translation may be indicated by the end of his Introduction: "They are the Magna Charta of the human spirit. Were we to devote to their comprehension a little of the selfless enthusiasms that is now expended on the riddle of our physical surroundings, we should cease to say that Christianity is coming to an end -- we might even feel that it has only just begun."

50. The Legacy of the New Testament.

The legacy of the New Testament is evident in the spiritual and cultural history of the western world, and subsequently far beyond it. Its early extent is foreshadowed in the account of the Pentecost, with citizens of many of the Mediterranean countries present. And shortly thereafter the letters of St. Paul confirm the widespread reception of its teachings. Christianity became firmly established when Constantine the Great (306-337) made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. Many of our early texts in the languages of Europe resulted from its adoption. Among the earliest is the Gothic translation of the fourth century ascribed to Bishop Wulfila. With the appearance of the Latin version in the Vulgate, 404 A.D., it became accessible to the literate community of Europe.

The growing influence of the Bishop of Rome led to a center for its continued influence. With the election of Gregory the Great as pope in 590 A.D. the papacy was well-established, and provided spiritual and intellectual guidance for much of Europe. The current situation as well as the recent history of Christianity are so obvious that further discussion here is unnecessary.