If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, …

Modern Translations of 1 Corinthians 13:1

And though I have .. so that I .., but have not love, I am nothing.

Classic Translations 1 Corinthians 13:2

and if I give away all .. and if I give up my body.., and do not have love, I am profited nothing.

Literal Translations `1 Corinthians 13:3

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IF I – Paul’s conditional approach to God’s love & ours

WE worshipers typically overlook conditional statements where WE ought to evaluate and discern OUR own approach to Jesus Christ, worship and others in OUR church.

In fact, the Apostle’s entire first letter to the Corinthians seeks to heal divisions between factions of Corinthian saints of Christ by exposing the conditions of our spiritual refining in the Lord.

Before we get to OUR favorite part of Paul’s letter (so often emotionally recited over christian marriages), let’s look briefly at where the Apostle fits love into the overall themes of his instructive letter to the saints of Corinth.

First Corinthians overview

John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – 1 Corinthians

This epistle was most likely written in the first half of A.D. 55 from Ephesus. His departure for Corinth was anticipated even as he wrote

The Apostle Paul ministered  in Corinth for over a year and a half (Acts 18:11)

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Unable to fully break with the culture from which it came, the church at Corinth was exceptionally factional, showing its carnality and immaturity.

John MacArthur commentary

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So far Paul has addressed:

• His  Calling and Benefits of Sainthood for the Corinthians
• Disunity in the Church
• Immorality in the Church
• Marriage in the Church
• Liberty in the Church

Are ANY of these challenges for YOUR 21st c. Common Era christian CHURCH?

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NOW (as MacArthur points out), the Apostle’s focus moves on to:

Worship in the Church (11:2–14:40)

with focus on three separate, yet related points

1. Roles of Men and Women in the Church
2. The Lord’s Supper
3. Spiritual Gifts (12:1–14:40)
   • 3 chapters, in which so far we have only covered 1 Corinthians 12.

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What IF YOUR fruit is rotten?

First of all,  ἐὰν - IF.. which the Apostle uses in this letter 48 times!

For if ^G1437 you were to have countless tutors in Christ,

1 Corinthians 4:15

If G1437 I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1 LSB

ἐάν;
I. a conditional particle (derived from εἰ ἄν), which makes reference to time and to experience, introducing something future, but not determining, before the event, whether it is certainly to take place;

Each of the Apostle’s conditional references here point toward the evident sweetness of what ought to be the fruit of our salvation in Christ.

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If I speak..

λαλέω – A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb

Yet we do speak G2980 wisdom among those who are mature.. But we speak G2980 God’s wisdom in a mystery..

I Corinthians 2:6a,7a LSB

And you mature saints will likely know some translation of this to which Paul will proceed soon:

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

AND note: this too points to a conditional change. 

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Human or Angelic tongues

Though I speak with the tongues of men [the KJV translates] and of angels,

Men [anthrōpos – both men and women] of course have tongues [glōssa] in order to speak [regardless of what language].

and angels [angelos ] – a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God

If I shall speak with every human and Angelic language and have no love in me, I shall be clanging brass or a noise-making cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1 Aramaic Bible in Plain English

"If I shall speak with every human and Angelic language.." 

Perhaps like me you had never read this translation; making the conditional connection so clear. 

The 'IF' we speak -- even messages supposedly from God -- conditionally connects to the sound that proceeds into the ears of others.

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ἔχω – the familiar sounding echo

to have and to hold…

13:1 – Though I ..have G2192 not charity,

13:2 And though I have G2192 the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have G2192 all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have G2192 not charity, I am nothing.

It's ALL conditional -- Spiritual Gifts yet no fruit

Spiritualities – ‘I would not have you ignorant’

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have G2192 not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 KJV

AGAIN, It's ALL conditional --
EVEN IF YOU have Spiritual Gifts 
BUT bear no fruit, which is the love and charity of God and Christ. 

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ἀγάπη – agapē

the LOVE of Paul’s “love chapter”

LOVE is so misunderstood by 21st c. C.E. ears that I have recently addressed agape as ‘Biblical jargon’ READ more

agapē a fruit of Love from a Higher Branch

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love G26 one to another.

Gospel of John 13:35 KJV from the command of Jesus – fruit

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What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, G26 and in the spirit of meekness?

1 Corinthians 4:21 KJV

Knowledge puffeth up, but charity G26 edifieth.

1 Corinthians 8:1b KJV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, G26 I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians 13:1 – KJV

Charity [ἀγάπη – agapē] suffereth long..

KJV translation of 1 Corinthians 13:4a

MORE on agape love

NEXT time, God-willing, concluding the LOVE Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 in the apostle’s instructions about spiritual gifts, we will THEN be ready to apply these fruits to the WORSHIP of the Church the Apostle will address in 1 Corinthians 14.

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