³¹ But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.

³⁹ So then, my brothers, let it be your chief desire to be prophets; but let no one be stopped from using tongues.

¹ If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.

² And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.

³ And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

⁴ Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride;

⁵ Love's ways are ever fair, it takes no thought for itself; it is not quickly made angry, it takes no account of evil;

⁶ It takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but has joy in what is true;

⁷ Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things.

⁸ Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.

⁹ For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:

¹⁰ But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.

¹¹ When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.

¹² For now we see things in a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now my knowledge is in part; then it will be complete, even as God's knowledge of me.

¹³ But now we still have faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

¹ Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.

⁶ Happy are those whose heart's desire is for righteousness: for they will have their desire.

⁴² Little is needed, or even one thing only: for Mary has taken that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

¹ Now about things offered to images: we all seem to ourselves to have knowledge. Knowledge gives pride, but love gives true strength.

⁸ Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward,

⁴ By faith Abel made a better offering to God than Cain, and he had witness through it of his righteousness, God giving his approval of his offering: and his voice still comes to us through it though he is dead.