The Love Chapter
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
– 1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
– 1 Corinthians 13:4, KJV
For most of you, I could say, “the love chapter” and your minds would instantly recall 1 Corinthians 13, or if I said “the great roll call of faith,” you would think of Hebrews 11. Certain passages are renowned for their content.
I have extracted a single verse from “the love chapter” above and presented it in two popular translations, the English Standard Version and the King James Version. I want you to note the differences, well, one specific difference to be more precise.
The ESV translates ἀγάπη (agapei) as “love” and this is accurate. It is the most common rendering for agapei. I consulted forty-six English translations of 1 Corinthians 13:4 and of those forty-six translations forty-two of them translated ἀγάπη as “love” while four, including the KJV above opted for “charity.”
Why charity?
Even within the KJV, translators translate ἀγάπη as “love” in a three-to-one ratio over “charity.” So, why would they opt for charity here?
Defining Charity
When we hear the word “charity,” we typically think of giving money for specific causes like food, clothing, medical needs, clean water, etc. Given the apostle Paul’s statement above, it seems that these are the very things charity is not. Charity is not giving and feeding the poor. It is not self-sacrifice, but those things can be done with charity. Paul uses charity to demonstrate the absolute contrast between performing such acts with charity and without it! So, charity must be something else.
I’m speculating, of course, but I believe the KJV translators have done us this translational service because they recognize that 1 Corinthians 13 as emphasizing ἀγάπη as a statement of what love does rather than what love is. The chapter presents love as action, rather than emotion. Current generation authors have popularized the phrase, “Love is a Verb!” to emphasize that same truth, and the KJV translational committee has given emphasis to that reality.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
– 1 Corinthians 13:3, ESV
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
– 1 Corinthians 12:3, KJV
Charity, in 1 Corinthians 13, technically a noun is presented as a verb. It does certain things, and does not do others. This chapter lists seventeen things that charity does or does not do. Charity is what drives the disciple in endless, active, selfless pouring out of goodness on behalf of others.
Charity . . .
- Has patience
- Shows kindness
- Refuses envy
- Does not boast
- Rejects pride
- Is not rude
- Does not dishonor others
- Is selfless
- Is slow to anger
- Keeps no record of offenses
- Does not delight in evil
- Rejoices in truth
- Protects
- Trusts
- Hopes
- Perserveres
- Lasts forever
Charity is Forever
True love, genuine charity is forever. It is eternal.
Faith remains, or abides, but faith will one day be replaced by sight.1 Hope remains, but our hope will one day be realized.2 Love will abide forever. .
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
– Luke 10:29, NIV-1978
Blessings upon you, my friends.
Victoriously in Christ!
– damon
DamonJGray.org
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1. 2 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 13:12, Hebrews 11:1
2. Romans 8:24
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