1 Corinthians 13:8

1 Corinthians 13:8

                                                              

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

a. NLT: Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

b. NIV: Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away

c. YLT: The love doth never fail; and whether there be prophecies, they shall become useless; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall become useless;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

1). D.C. Note: In some translations it is hard not to see a doctrinal bent, and this is a classic case. Here the subject is speaking in tongues. In the other 4 translations tongues are dealt with in a flowing way: they will cease or they will be stilled. Oh but when we get to the Amplified, they will be destroyed and cease!

e. Worrell Translation: Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they will be done away; whether there be tongues, they will cease; whether there be knowledge, it will be done away.

f. Wuest Translation: But whether there are utterances given by a person consisting of divine revelations he has received, they shall cease; whether languages, they shall stop, whether knowledge, it shall be done away;

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away

1. “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail…”

a. love [Strong: 26 agape ag-ah'-pay; from 25; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast:--(feast of) charity(-ably), dear, love.]

b. never [Strong: 3763 oudepote oo-dep'-ot-eh; from 3761 and 4218; not even at any time, i.e. never at all:--neither at any time, never, nothing at any time.]

c. faileth [Strong: 1601 ekpipto ek-pip'-to; from 1537 and 4098; to drop away; specially, be driven out of one's course; figuratively, to lose, become inefficient:--be cast, fail, fall (away, off), take none effect.]

d. but [Strong: 1161 de deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

e. whether [Strong: 1535 eite i-the; from 1487 and 5037; if too:--if, or, whether.]

f. there be prophecies [Strong: 4394 propheteia prof-ay-ti'-ah from 4396 ("prophecy"); prediction (scriptural or other):--prophecy, prophesying.]

g. they shall fail [Strong: 2673 katargeo kat-arg-eh'-o;  from 2596 and 691; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively:--abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, make void.]

2. “…whether there be tongues, they shall cease…”

a. whether [Strong: 1535  eite i'-the; from 1487 and 5037; if too:--if, or, whether.]

b. there be tongues [Strong: 1100 glossa gloce-sah';   of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired):--tongue.]

c. they shall cease [Strong: 3973 pauo pow'-o; a primary verb ("pause"); to stop (transitively or intransitively), i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end:--cease, leave, refrain.]

1). The question is not whether prophecies shall fail, tongues will cease or knowledge will vanish away. The question is WHEN WILL THEY CEASE! It is a matter of timing. The Apostle Paul is showing a contrast between NOW when they are still in existence,  and THEN, i.e., when they shall fail, cease, and vanish away. As the passage progresses it will be seen this is a timing issue.

3. “…whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

a. whether [Strong: 1535 eite i'-the; from 1487 and 5037; if too:--if, or, whether.]

b. there be knowledge [Strong: 1108 gnosis gno'-sis; from 1097; knowing (the act), i.e. (by implication) knowledge:--knowledge, science.]

c. it shall vanish away [Strong: 2673 katargeo kat-arg-eh'-o; from 2596 and 691; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively:--abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, make void.]

1). The extremely important answer to the doctrinal question of when “tongues shall cease” when “knowledge shall vanish away” is answered in this passage, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Why many don’t see it is beyond me. The moment when tongues shall cease, knowledge vanishes away, knowing in part and prophesying in part is when that which is perfect is come. As the text clearly says that will occur when we are no longer looking at Jesus through a glass darkly, through the Scripture, but it will be face to face.