1 CORINTHIANS 13:1 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal — even ecstatic utterance (glossai anthrōpōn—human languages—or angelic speech) without agapē (love) becomes mere noise, an inanimate instrument producing hollow sound; the Corinthians' prized gift of tongues is reduced to percussion without meaning or power.
Church Fathers on 1 Corinthians 13:1
“If I speak with the tongues of men —” What is, “of men?” Of all nations in every part of the world. And neither was he content with this amplification, but he likewise uses another much greater, adding the words, “and of angels — and have not love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.” Do you see to what point he first exalted the gift, and to what afterwards he lowered and cast it down? For neither did he simply say, “I am nothing,” but, “I have become…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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