• Charity
• Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi (509K)
• Novena of Padre Pio
• Temptations
• Important Vatican Offices

The First

Epistle of St. Paul, the Apostle, to the Corinthians

Chapter XIII

Charity is to be preferred before all other gifts.

If I speak with the tongues of men, and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge: and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up,

5 Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil,

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth:

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth; whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect shall come, that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child.

12 We see now through a glass in an obscure manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known.

13 And now there remain, faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.