The Darby Translation DBY
New Century Version NCV
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1
I may speak in different languagesn of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal.
2 And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
2
I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing.
3 And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing.
3
I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing if I do not have love.
4 Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous [of others]; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up,
4
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.
5 does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil,
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Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done.
6 does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth,
6
Love is not happy with evil but is happy with the truth.
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
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Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always remains strong.
8 Love never fails; but whether prophecies, they shall be done away; or tongues, they shall cease; or knowledge, it shall be done away.
8
Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will stop. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will come to an end.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part:
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The reason is that our knowledge and our ability to prophesy are not perfect.
10 but when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away.
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But when perfection comes, the things that are not perfect will end.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man, I had done with what belonged to the child.
11
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 stopped those childish ways.
12 For we see now through a dim window obscurely, but then face to face; now I know partially, but then I shall know according as I also have been known.
12
It is the same with us. Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love; these three things; and the greater of these [is] love.
13
So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.