The Bible in Basic English BBE
World English Bible WEB
1 If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.
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If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.
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If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don't have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.
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If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;
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Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud,
5 Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;
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doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6 It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;
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doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things.
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bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.
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Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
9 For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:
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For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10 But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.
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but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11 When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.
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When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
12 For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me.
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For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13 But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
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But now remain faith, hope, and love: these three. The greatest of these is love.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.