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

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

13:8 they shall fail. “Fail” is the same as “vanish away” (Greek katargeo, meaning “become useless”). “Cease” (Greek pauo, from which we derive “pause”) means simply “come to an end.” Thus all three of these supernatural gifts (and perhaps other supernatural gifts as well) would eventually become useless and would therefore be withdrawn by the Spirit.


13:9 know in part. The gifts of knowledge and prophecy at that time had conveyed only a part of God’s intended revelation to His people. In fact, the only earlier epistles by Paul were Galatians, I and II Thessalonians. Eventually, however, more would be forthcoming through the various apostles and prophets.


13:10 that which is perfect. “That which is perfect” cannot refer to Christ at His second coming, for “that” is a neuter pronoun. Since the previous verse refers to the incompleteness of the divine revelation at that time, “that which is perfect [that is, “complete”] almost certainly refers to the completion of Biblical revelation, as finally announced by John, the last of the apostles (Revelation 22:18-19). We now have all the prophetic truth needed in the Scriptures for the guidance of the church until Christ comes again. With few, if any, exceptions, we also have all the attestation we need to its veracity and power, so there is little need any more for miraculous signs, even though many still desire them.


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