Trinity/After Pentecost · The Last Sunday of the Church Year
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Love
November 22, 2026
Overview & Insights
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Although God grants his gifts as an act of grace and not on the basis of merit, there is a dynamic relationship between the effectiveness of the gift and the life of the Christian.1Paul treats this connection between spiritual gifts and the quality of the believer’s life most directly in this chapter. The abrupt insertion of this outburst on love in the midst of his discussion of spiritual gifts (chaps. 12 and 14) signals the intrinsic relatedness of life and gifting in Paul’s mind. Moreover, the unrelenting emphasis that the Christian is nothing (13:2) and gains nothing (13:3) without love exhibits how in Paul’s reasoning spiritual gifts require godliness for true effectiveness. Interpretive Insights 12:31 I will show you the most excellent way. This transitional sentence functions almost like a reset button that lets Paul start over.
From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.
Take it further
Commentary
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Working Preacher) Working Preacher
Reads the love chapter within chapters 12 to 14 as communal, not sentimental, love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Commentary (Center for Excellence in Preaching) Center for Excellence in Preaching
Reformed preaching commentary anchoring the passage in the self giving love of Christ.
1 Corinthians 13 (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik's verse by verse treatment of the three stanzas on love.
1 Corinthians 13 Commentary (Precept Austin) Precept Austin
Detailed word studies and cross references on the qualities of agape love.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (BibleHub Commentaries) BibleHub
Classic expositors assembled verse by verse on the hymn to love.
Background & Word Study
1 Corinthians (Enter the Bible) Enter the Bible
Background on the divided Corinthian church that frames Paul's call to love.
Overview: 1 Corinthians (BibleProject) BibleProject
Animated overview showing how the love chapter answers the letter's conflicts.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Interlinear BibleHub
Greek text word by word, including agape and the contrast with tongues of angels.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What is the way of love?
Without love, the greatest gifts are nothing; love is patient and kind, bears and hopes all things and never ends; now we see in a mirror dimly, but love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:1–13).
Prep at sermons.com
Ready to write?
- Full sermons on Matthew 25:1-13
- Illustrations cleared for use in worship
- Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Trusted by pastors since 1995.
Free every Tuesday
Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox
The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.