1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

What does 1 Corinthians 13:4 mean?

1 Corinthians 13:4 describes love by the way it behaves toward others. In the KJV, “charity” means love, rather than only giving to people in need. Paul presents love as patient and kind, not driven by envy or a need to appear important.

After speaking of costly acts without love in verse 3, Paul gives love an active role in the sentence: love is patient, shows kindness, and refuses to boast. The phrase “puffed up” pictures someone inflated with pride.

The Greek behind 1 Corinthians 13:4

• “Charity” — ἀγάπη (agapē): The word means love. Here, the KJV uses “charity” in a broader sense than the modern idea of giving money or help.
• “suffereth long” — μακροθυμέω (makrothymeō): The word carries the sense of being patient or slow to anger. “Suffereth long” points to patience with others, rather than simply experiencing hardship for a long time.
• “vaunteth not itself” — περπερεύομαι (perpereuomai): The word carries the sense of boasting or showing off. The phrase describes self-display rather than a simple statement about oneself.

Why 1 Corinthians 13:4 matters

• Love has an outward expression, not just an inward feeling. Paul says that charity “is kind,” describing how love acts toward someone else.
• Paul places love above impressive actions as a measure of their worth. The contrast is clear after verse 3, where he says that giving away possessions without charity profits him nothing.
• The verse distinguishes envy from love. “Charity envieth not” addresses resentment of what someone else has, while the later phrases address boasting and pride.