The Most Important Thing Is Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
When you think about what makes someone truly good or spiritual, you might think of things like being wise, having strong faith, helping others, or even doing big, impressive things. But in 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul tells us something surprising: none of that matters without love.
More Than Words or Deeds
Paul starts by saying that even if he could speak in every language—human and angelic—but didn’t have love, it would be just noise. Like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal, it wouldn’t mean anything. He goes on to say that even if he could tell the future, understand all mysteries, or had so much faith that he could move mountains—if he didn’t have love, he would be nothing.
That’s a strong statement.
Even if someone gave away everything they owned or even sacrificed their life for others, it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t do it with love. In other words, actions by themselves aren’t enough. It’s the heart behind them that counts.
What Love Looks Like
Paul then gives a beautiful description of what real love looks like. Love is:
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Patient and kind
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Not jealous or boastful
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Not proud or rude
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Not selfish or easily angered
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It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs
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It doesn’t enjoy evil, but celebrates the truth
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It always protects, trusts, hopes, and keeps going
This kind of love isn’t just a feeling. It’s a choice. It’s about how we treat people—even when it’s hard. It’s about putting others before ourselves.
Everything Else Will Fade
Paul explains that all the things we rely on—like knowledge, prophecy, and even faith—will one day come to an end. Our understanding right now is limited, like looking into a blurry mirror. But one day, we’ll see clearly. On that day, love will still remain.
He ends with these powerful words:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Why It Matters Today
In a world full of noise, opinions, and arguments, this message is more important than ever. You can be smart, successful, or super talented—but if you don’t treat people with love, it won’t mean much in the end.
God’s kind of love changes how we speak, how we act, and how we live. It makes us more patient, more forgiving, and more caring. It helps us build real relationships and create peace in a broken world.
So, if you’re wondering what matters most in life, Paul gives us the answer loud and clear:
Love is the most important thing. Let’s live that out—one kind word, one act of kindness, and one loving choice at a time.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (WEB)
13:1 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 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 If I give away 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 patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.8 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 we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 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 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 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 faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.