The Way of Love **13** If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. **2** And if I have [a](https://www.esv.org/1Co14.1%3B1Co14.39%3BMt7.22%3BAc2.18 "[ch. 14:1, 39; Matt. 7:22]; See Acts 2:18")prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, [b](https://www.esv.org/Mt17.20%3BMk11.23%3BLk17.6 "Matt. 17:20; Mark 11:23; [Luke 17:6]")so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. **3** [c](https://www.esv.org/Mt6.2 "[Matt. 6:2]")If I give away all I have, and [d](https://www.esv.org/Dn3.28 "Dan. 3:28")if I deliver up my body to be burned,[1](https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+13/#f1- "<span class="footnote-embedded">Some manuscripts <i class="catch-word">deliver up my body</i> [to death] <i>that I may boast</i></span>") but have not love, I gain nothing. **4** [e](https://www.esv.org/Pr10.12%3BPr17.9%3B1Th5.14%3B2Tm2.10%3B1P4.8 "[Prov. 10:12; 17:9; 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 4:8]")Love is patient and [f](https://www.esv.org/2Co6.6%3BGa5.22%3BEp4.32%3BCs3.12 "[2 Cor. 6:6; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12]")kind; love [g](https://www.esv.org/Ac7.9 "Acts 7:9")does not envy or boast; it [h](https://www.esv.org/1Co4.6 "See ch. 4:6")is not arrogant **5** or rude. It [i](https://www.esv.org/1Co10.24 "See ch. 10:24")does not insist on its own way; it [j](https://www.esv.org/Rm4.6%3B2Co5.19 "[Rom. 4:6; 2 Cor. 5:19]")is not irritable or resentful;[2](https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+13/#f2- "<span class="footnote-embedded">Greek <i><span class="catch-word">irritable</span> and does not count up wrongdoing</i></span>") **6** it [k](https://www.esv.org/Rm1.32%3B2Th2.12 "[Rom. 1:32; 2 Thess. 2:12]")does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but [l](https://www.esv.org/2J4%3B3J3-4 "[2 John 4; 3 John 3, 4]")rejoices with the truth. **7** [m](https://www.esv.org/1Co9.12 "ch. 9:12")Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, [e](https://www.esv.org/1Co13.4 "[See ver. 4 above]")endures all things. **8** Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. **9** For [n](https://www.esv.org/1Co8.2 "[ch. 8:2]")we know in part and we prophesy in part, **10** but [o](https://www.esv.org/Jn15.15 "[John 15:15]")when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. **11** When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. **12** For [p](https://www.esv.org/Jm1.23%3BNm12.8%3BJb36.26%3B2Co3.18%3B2Co5.7 "James 1:23; [Num. 12:8; Job 36:26; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:7]")now we see in a mirror dimly, but [q](https://www.esv.org/1J3.2%3BMt5.8 "1 John 3:2; See Matt. 5:8")then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as [r](https://www.esv.org/1Co8.3 "See ch. 8:3")I have been fully known. **13** So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. This chapter, while it can be construed as an uplifting love chapter, and while it's also commonly referenced in wedding ceremonies, is more appropriate as a eulogy. The partial or part is what we experience now, in our unperfected human bodies. Being made perfect is to be dead to the world, dead in our own bodies, yet perfect, since we would be one with Christ. Our bodies have been born into since, but in Christ, we are made perfect. Perfection and completion in Christ is only achieved through death of our physical bodies. This does not discredit our bodies, the wonder and mystery of how God created us, or the mission and power we have (in the Spirit) while in our physical world. This only references the half truth, and "half life" we are currently experiencing, since it's impossible for our physical, earthly form to comprehend God's encompassing majesty and greatness. We should not throw away our physical forms, albeit inferior, since we are still commissioned to do God's work and will on this Earth while we're blessed with living here, since every day and every breath is a blessing from the Lord. Do not desire escape, desire God's plan to be fulfilled in this world.