So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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1 Corinthians 13:13
What does 1 Corinthians 13:13 mean?
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1 Corinthians 13:13
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It's easy to see faith and hope as stepping stones to love, but Paul insists they abide alongside love. They aren't left behind once love arrives; instead, they remain, and love is the one that truly surpasses and outshines them all.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul has been passionately detailing the superiority of love over all spiritual gifts, arguing that without it, even the most spectacular abilities are worthless. He's just explained how faith and hope will ultimately fade when we're face-to-face with God, but that love will continue to endure eternally. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to his extended argument about the supreme and lasting nature of love.
Paul names three powerful forces that remain when everything else fades. What makes these so enduring?
Paul presents faith, hope, and love as the essential, persistent qualities of a life lived for God.
The Enduring Power
These aren't fleeting emotions; they are deep-seated convictions and orientations of the heart that abide. They stand firm through trials, doubts, and the changing seasons of life. While spiritual gifts might cease, these foundational virtues are designed to last.
Why They Remain
Paul declares one of these three as the 'greatest.' Why does love hold such a supreme position?
While all three virtues are essential and enduring, Paul makes a bold claim: love is the greatest.
The Height of God's Character
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Love isn't just one of God's attributes; it is the very essence of His being. Jesus declared that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). This reflects the perfect unity within the Trinity.
The Motivator and Goal
Without love, faith can become rigid, and hope can become passive. Love animates them, giving them their true spiritual purpose and power.
Understand the original words
menō · Greek Verb
Refers to the objective truth or reality that remains or continues to exist. It implies that these virtues are enduring and essential elements of the believer's life that will persist even into eternity.
pistis · Greek Noun
The firm conviction or trust in God’s character and promises. It is the fundamental response to God’s revelation, essential for salvation and walking with Him.
elpis · Greek Noun
The confident expectation of future blessings and the fulfillment of God’s promises. It is rooted in the character of God and sustains the believer through present trials.
agapē · Greek Noun
A sacrificial, self-giving, and unconditional commitment to the well-being of others, modeled perfectly by God’s own nature and His action in Christ. It is the highest virtue and the essence of the divine character.
This passage directly echoes the sentiment of 1 Corinthians 13:13 by stating that God is love, reinforcing why love is considered the greatest and most fundamental of all virtues.
Galatians 5:5-6Paul highlights that what truly counts in the Christian life is not just outward actions, but faith expressing itself through love, mirroring the enduring nature of these qualities mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13.
Colossians 3:14This verse explicitly names love as the 'perfect bond of unity,' elevating it above other virtues and showing its supreme importance in bringing everything else together, just as 1 Corinthians 13 concludes.
Hebrews 11:1This passage defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, setting the stage for how faith and hope function, and how they are ultimately surpassed in importance by love.
It's easy to see faith and hope as stepping stones to love, but Paul insists they abide alongside love. They aren't left behind once love arrives; instead, they remain, and love is the one that truly surpasses and outshines them all.
Paul has been passionately detailing the superiority of love over all spiritual gifts, arguing that without it, even the most spectacular abilities are worthless. He's just explained how faith and hope will ultimately fade when we're face-to-face with God, but that love will continue to endure eternally. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to his extended argument about the supreme and lasting nature of love.
Paul has been passionately detailing the superiority of love over all spiritual gifts, arguing that without it, even the most spectacular abilities are worthless. He's just explained how faith and hope will ultimately fade when we're face-to-face with God, but that love will continue to endure eternally. This verse serves as the powerful conclusion to his extended argument about the supreme and lasting nature of love.
"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." — It's easy to see faith and hope as stepping stones to love, but Paul insists they abide alongside love. They aren't left behind once love arrives; instead, they remain, and love is the one that t…
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Last reviewed October 2026