Understanding Love

1. Preeminence of Love (V1-V3)

2. Properties of Love (V4-V6)

3. Persistence of Love ((V7))

3. Permanence of Love (V8-12)

4. Prominence of Love (V13)

Preeminent

1. coming before all others in importance

2. highest in rank or authority

3. standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement

NIV - If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Hyperbole, derived from a Greek word meaning “over-casting,” is a figure of speech that involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.

My grandmother is as old as the hills.

Your suitcase weighs a ton!

I am dying of shame.

I am trying to solve a million issues these days

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.

KJV - 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.

NIV - If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

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.

KJV - 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.

NIV - If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

KJV - Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

NIV - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

(HCSB)

8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

KJV - Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

NIV - It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Seeketh not its own. From this we may infer, how very far we are from having love implanted in us by nature; for we are naturally prone to have love and care for ourselves,

To seek one’s own things, is to be devoted to self, and to be wholly taken up with concern for one’s own advantage.

Bears All Things, Endures All Things

bear 1

suffer 1

from <G4721> (stege); to roof over, i.e. (figurative) to cover with silence (endure patiently) :- (for-) bear, suffer.

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

KJV - Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

NIV - Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

KJV - Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

NIV - It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love Hopes all things: (HCSB)

(HCSB)

8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

NIV - Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

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.

KJV - 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.

NIV - Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

KJV - For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

NIV - For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

KJV - But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

NIV - but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

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.

KJV - 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.

NIV - When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

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.

KJV - 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.

NIV - For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

NIV - And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Agape

The Greek word agape (love) seems to have been virtually a Christian invention—a new word for a new thing (apart from about twenty occurrences in the Greek version of the Old Testament, it is almost non-existent before the New Testament).

Agape draws its meaning directly from the revelation of God in Christ. It is not a form of natural affection, however, intense, but a supernatural fruit of the Spirit ().

It is a matter of will rather than feeling (for Christians must love even those they dislike—). It is the basic element in Christlikeness.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. - NIV

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. - NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, - NIV

— Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.