Love is...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (highlights from various translations and paraphrases)

Amplified Bible

Love endures long and is patient and kind.
Love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy.

It is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly..
Love (God's love in us) does not insist on it's own way, for it is not self-seeking, it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best...Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Contemporary English Version

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.

Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails!


God's Word Translation

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love isn't jealous.
It doesn't sing it's own praises.
It isn't arrogant.
It isn't rude.
It doesn't think about itself.
It isn't irritable.
It doesn't keep track of wrongs.

Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
Love never comes to an end.


King James Version

Charity suffereth long, and is kind,
charity envieth not,
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil...

Beareth all things,
believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth.


New Century Version

Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others.
Loves does not count up wrongs that have been done.
Love patiently accepts all things.
It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.
Love never ends.

New Living Translation

Love is patient and kind.
Loves is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand it's own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever!


The Message

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first",
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.

Today's NIV

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.


NIV

When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.