1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Bible Verses. Also called 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, The Love Chapter, Love Chapter, Charity suffereth long, Love suffers long, Charity is kind, Love is kind.
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.
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
First Corinthians 13:4–7 is a passage that begins "Charity suffereth long, and is kind" and uses fifteen verbs to describe what love does and does not do. It is the passage most frequently read at weddings, yet commentators often point out that it was originally addressed to a church quarreling over spiritual gifts.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
First Corinthians 12–14 deals with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Corinthian believers were boasting and quarreling with one another over gifts such as tongues and prophecy. After comparing the church to the many members of one body in chapter 12, Paul presents love in chapter 13 as the greater gift and "a more excellent way" (12:31). Verses 1–3 declare that tongues and prophecy, faith, and giving to the poor are nothing without love, and verses 4–7 portray what love looks like. Chapter 14 then returns to the orderly use of prophecy and tongues.
Interpretation
- As a word to the church community: The traits listed—envying not, vaunting not itself, not being puffed up, seeking not its own—correspond to the actual problems of the Corinthian church. For this reason, the passage is read as a remedy for a church quarreling over its gifts.
- As a portrait of Christ: Because the description of love (Greek agape) here is seen as matching the life of Christ exactly, a widely known devotional practice is to read the passage with "Christ" in place of "love."
- Love expressed in verbs: In the original text, love is described not with adjectives but with verbs, and many interpreters take this to mean that the passage presents love as action and disposition rather than emotion.
Questions of Application
Its use at weddings as instruction on marital love is a natural application, but some urge that its original setting in the church community be explained as well. In addition, voices in the field of pastoral counseling caution that the phrase "beareth all things" in verse 7 must not be used to tell people to endure abuse or violence. In support, they cite the statement that love "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth" (v. 6).
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, this is the passage most often used for Scripture readings at wedding services, in officiants' wedding addresses, and on wedding invitations. A number of praise songs and gospel songs also take this text as their lyrics.
Related Passages
See also 5
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