1 Corinthians 13:4

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The nature and operation of love. The negative view having been presented, the apostle considers the mature and operations of this love, And one characteristic of it, he puts in the foreground of its excellences. It can suffer. A virtue that cannot suffer is hardly a virtue at all. Certainly it is not a virtue that can lay the least claim to divineness. Wedded love, parental love, philanthropic and patriotic love, have to undergo a discipline of pain and sorrow even to symbolize the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Some characteristics of love. The apostle gives a very beautiful description of some of the qualities of love. True love is— I. PATIENT AND UNCOMPLAINING . It: 1. "Suffereth long," under provocation and injury. 2. "Is not easily provoked." Is not irritable—not allied to anger. 3. "Beareth all things." Is willing to bear burdens that others may be free. Rather hides than advertises injuries received. Does not revenge. 4. "Endureth all things." Neglect and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The immortality of love. "Charity never faileth," etc. Amongst the many things which Paul predicates in this chapter concerning "charity," or love, is its permanence. I. It will "never fail" as an ELEMENT OF MORAL POWER . Love is the strongest force in the soul. 1. It is the strongest sustaining power. Our present state is one of trial and sorrow. Burdens press on all, in all grades of society. Godly love is the best sustaining power under all. All Divine promises are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The grace of charity. When we speak of charity ( ἀγάπη ) it is in the sense attached to the word in the New Testament. We do not speak of promiscuous and impulsive almsgiving, in which there is often but the veriest morsel of charity, and which, in our condition of society, is almost an unmitigated evil, tending as it does to the maintenance of an indigent and pauperized class. We do not speak of that kind of natural affection ( ἔρος ) which binds men together with the ties of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4

Charity suffereth long - Paul now proceeds to illustrate the “nature” of love, or to show how it is exemplified. His illustrations are all drawn from its effect in regulating our conduct toward others, or our contact with them. The “reason” why he made use of this illustration, rather than its nature as evinced toward “God,” was, probably, because it was especially necessary for them to understand in what way it should be manifested toward each other. There were contentions and strifes among... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

1 Corinthians 13:4-5. Love suffereth long Here the apostle attributes to love the qualities and actions of a person, in order to render his account of that divine grace the more lively and affecting. The love of God, and of our neighbour for God’s sake, is patient toward all men. It suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, and infirmities of the children of God; and all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world; and all this not only for a time, but to the end; and in every... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Love is greater than the gifts (13:1-13)The Corinthians were impressed with people who exercised the more spectacular gifts. Paul reminds them that no matter what gifts they have - tongues, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, faith - if they lack love they are not merely unimportant, they are nothing (13:1-2). People may be so generous with their goods and money that in the end they themselves become poor. They may be so faithful to their duty that they sacrifice their lives. But without love they... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Corinthians 13:4

is kind . Greek. chresteuomai. Only here. Compare App-184 . Note the Figure of speech Asyndeton in these verses: 1 Corinthians 13:13 , 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 . envieth . Greek. zeloo. See Acts 7:9 . vaunteth . Greek. perpereuomai. Only here. is . . . puffed up . See 1 Corinthians 4:6 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4

Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.Patient endurance and active good are qualities of love. Paul enumerated fifteen qualities of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; but this is far from being a methodical dissertation on love as an abstract subject. The qualities cited here have the utility of contrasting with the extraordinary gifts so coveted at Corinth; and they are presented here as exactly opposed to the characteristic of the puffed-up... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4

1 Corinthians 13:4. Charity suffereth long— The Apostle here proceeds to give us sixteen characters of divine love;—upon which, if the compass of our work allowed, it would be well worth time to expatiate. 1st, Love suffereth long,—is long-suffering or patient towards all men: it suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, infirmities, all the forwardness and littleness of faith in the children of God; all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world;—feeding our enemy when he... read more

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