The Way of Love

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Paul completed his three-paneled portrait of love (1Cor. 13:1-3, 13:4-7, 13:8-13) with a final triad: faith, hope, and love. Much discussion has focused on whether faith and hope were portrayed by Paul as being (with love) eternal. See the solution as found in 1Cor. 13:7.

And...

δέ

de

deh

A primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.: - also, and, but, moreover, now [often unexpressed in English].

now...

νυνί

nuni

noo-nee'

A prolonged form of now for emphasis; just now: - now.

abideth...

μένω

menō

men'-o

A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

Faith is an expression of love (the word “trusts,” pisteuei, 1Cor. 13:7, is the verb form of the noun “faith,” pistis), as is hope (cf. Gal. 5:5-6). Faith and hope, as manifestations of love, will endure eternally. So too everyone who follows the way of love (1Cor. 14:1) finds “the most excellent way” (1Cor. 12:31), because every individual characterized by love carries that mark eternally. The spiritual gifts will one day cease to exist, but love will endure forever.

faith,...

πίστις

pistis

pis'-tis

From convince; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

hope,...

ἐλπίς

elpis

el-pece'

From ἔλπω elpō which is a primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.

charity,...

ἀγάπη

agapē

ag-ah'-pay

From much; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.

these...

ταῦτα

tauta

tow'-tah

Nominative or accusative neuter plural of the he; these things: - + afterward, follow, + hereafter, X him, the same, so, such, that, then, these, they, this, those, thus.

Three things that eternally abide: faith, hope, and divine love.

three,...

τρεῖς, τρία

treis tria

trice, tree'-ah

A primary (plural) number; “three”: - three.

but... see And above.

the greatest...

μείζων

meizōn

mide'-zone

Irregular comparative of big; larger (literally or figuratively, specifically in age): - elder, greater (-est), more.

of these...

τούτων

toutōn

too'-tone

Genitive plural masculine or neuter of the he; of (from or concerning) these (persons or things): - such, their, these (things), they, this sort, those.

is charity... see charity above.