1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in Context
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 appears in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 4. Paul wrote this around AD 55 to a deeply divided Corinthian church where members competed over spiritual gifts. The 'love chapter' wasn't written for weddings—it was a rebuke. The Corinthians were using gifts for self-promotion; Paul showed them that without love, even miraculous abilities meant nothing. Corinth was a morally corrupt Roman port city.
The Verse Itself
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. 1 Corinthians 13 as a whole carries forward the theme of love, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
Paul's famous description of love (charity in KJV) provides a practical definition through actions. True love is patient, kind, humble, forgiving, truthful, protective, and enduring.
Cross-References
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