The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 13:7 Explained

1 Corinthians 13:7

KJV: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

YLT: all things it beareth, all it believeth, all it hopeth, all it endureth.

Darby: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

ASV: beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Corinthians 13:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Love covers unworthy things rather than bringing them to the light and magnifying them (cf. 1 Peter 4:8). It puts up with everything. It is always eager to believe the best and to "put the most favorable construction on ambiguous actions." [1]
"This does not mean ... that a Christian is to allow himself to be fooled by every rogue, or to pretend that he believes that white is black. But in doubtful cases he will prefer being too generous in his conclusions to suspecting another unjustly." [2]
Love is hopeful that those who have failed will not fail again rather than concluding that failure is inevitable (cf. Matthew 18:22). It does not allow itself to become overwhelmed but perseveres steadfastly through difficult trials.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - The One Essential For All
With what wonder his amanuensis must have looked up, as the Apostle broke into this exquisite sonnet on love! His radiant spirit had caught a glimpse of the living Savior. Jesus sits for His portrait in these glowing sentences, and of Him every clause is true. Substitute His name for love throughout the chapter, and say whether it is not an exact likeness. With Paul love stands for that strong, sustained, and holy subordination of self for others, which begins in will and act and is afterward suffused by emotion, as a cloud lying in the pathway of the rising sun. But if you want the divine love, you must get it after the manner of the bay which opens its bosom to the incoming tide. God is love, and if you would love, you must abide in Him and He in you. Love is better than miracles, gifts, or philanthropy, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Love is the parent of all that is most delightful in the moral sphere, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Love is the best of all, because it is eternal. All else will perish. Our highest attainments will be as the babblings and playthings of childhood. But when we are in touch with the reality of things, love will be all in all. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 13

1  All gifts,
3  however excellent, are of no worth without love
4  The praises thereof,
13  as love is greatest before hope and faith

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 13:7

Beareth all things [παντα στεγει]
Στεγω — Stegō is old verb from στεγη — stegē roof, already in 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:5 which see. Love covers, protects, forbears (suffert, Vulgate). See note on 1 Peter 4:8 “because love covers a multitude of sins” (οτι αγαπη καλυπτει πητος αμαρτιων — hoti agapē kaluptei phēthos hamartiōn), throws a veil over. [source]
Believeth all things [παντα πιστευει]
Not gullible, but has faith in men. Hopeth all things (παντα ελπιζει — panta elpizei). Sees the bright side of things. Does not despair. Endureth all things Perseveres. Carries on like a stout-hearted soldier. If one knows Sir Joshua Reynolds‘s beautiful painting of the Seven Virtues (the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics - temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice - and the three Christian graces - faith, hope, love), he will find them all exemplified here as marks of love (the queen of them all). [source]
Hopeth all things [παντα ελπιζει]
Sees the bright side of things. Does not despair. [source]
Endureth all things [Ενδυρετ αλλ τινγς]
Perseveres. Carries on like a stout-hearted soldier. If one knows Sir Joshua Reynolds‘s beautiful painting of the Seven Virtues (the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics - temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice - and the three Christian graces - faith, hope, love), he will find them all exemplified here as marks of love (the queen of them all). [source]
Beareth [στέγει]
See on suffer, 1 Corinthians 9:12. It keeps out resentment as the ship keeps out the water, or the roof the rain. [source]
Endureth [ὑπομένει]
An advance on beareth: patient acquiescence, holding its ground when it can no longer believe nor hope.“All my days are spent and gone;And ye no more shall lead your wretched life, Caring for me. hard was it, that I know,-DIVIDER-
My children! Yet one word is strong to loose,-DIVIDER-
Although alone, the burden of these toils,-DIVIDER-
For love in larger store ye could not have-DIVIDER-
From any than from him who standeth here.”Sophocles, “Oedipus at Colonus,” 613-618. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 13:7

1 Corinthians 9:12 Suffer [στέγομεν]
Rev., bear. The primary meaning is to cover. So some render 1 Corinthians 13:7, covereth for beareth. Hence to protect by covering, as with a tight ship or roof. So Aesehylus, of a ship: “The wooden house with sails that keeps out ( στέγων ) the sea” (“Suppliants,” 126). “The tower keeps off ( ἀποστέγει ) the multitude of the enemy” (“Seven against Thebes,” 220). And so, to bear up against, endure. Compare 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:5. [source]
1 Corinthians 9:12 Do not we yet more? [ου μαλλον ημεισ]
Because of Paul‘s peculiar relation to that church as founder and apostle. But we bear all things (αλλα παντα στεγομεν — alla panta stegomen). Old verb to cover (στεγη — stegē roof) and so to cover up, to conceal, to endure (1 Corinthians 13:7 of love). Paul deliberately declined to use (usual instrumental case with χραομαι — chraomai) his right to pay in Corinth. That we may cause no hindrance Late word ενκοπη — enkopē a cutting in (cf. radio or telephone) or hindrance from ενκοπτω — enkoptō to cut in, rare word (like εκκοπη — ekkopē) here only in N.T. and once in Vettius Valens. How considerate Paul is to avoid “a hindrance to the gospel of Christ” (τωι ευαγγελιωι του Χριστου — tōi euaggeliōi tou Christou dative case and genitive) rather than insist on his personal rights and liberties, an eloquent example for all modern men. [source]
Galatians 5:22 Love [αγαπη]
Late, almost Biblical word. First as in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, which see for discussion as superior to πιλια — philia and ερως — erōs Joy (χαρα — chara). Old word. See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:6. Peace See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Long-suffering (makrothumia). See 2 Corinthians 6:6. Kindness See 2 Corinthians 6:6. Goodness (μακροτυμια — agathōsunē). See note on 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Faithfulness Same word as “faith.” See Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Meekness (prautēs). See 1 Corinthians 4:21; note on 2 Corinthians 10:1.Temperance See Acts 24:25. Old word from egkratēs one holding control or holding in. In N.T. only in these passages and 2 Peter 1:6. Paul has a better list than the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics (temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice), though they are included with better notes struck. Temperance is alike, but kindness is better than justice, long-suffering than fortitude, love than prudence. [source]
Galatians 5:22 Peace [eirēnē)]
See note on 1 Thessalonians 1:1. Long-suffering (makrothumia). See 2 Corinthians 6:6. Kindness See 2 Corinthians 6:6. Goodness (μακροτυμια — agathōsunē). See note on 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Faithfulness Same word as “faith.” See Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Meekness (prautēs). See 1 Corinthians 4:21; note on 2 Corinthians 10:1.Temperance See Acts 24:25. Old word from egkratēs one holding control or holding in. In N.T. only in these passages and 2 Peter 1:6. Paul has a better list than the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics (temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice), though they are included with better notes struck. Temperance is alike, but kindness is better than justice, long-suffering than fortitude, love than prudence. [source]
Galatians 5:22 Kindness [ειρηνη]
See 2 Corinthians 6:6. Goodness (μακροτυμια — agathōsunē). See note on 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Faithfulness Same word as “faith.” See Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Meekness (prautēs). See 1 Corinthians 4:21; note on 2 Corinthians 10:1.Temperance See Acts 24:25. Old word from egkratēs one holding control or holding in. In N.T. only in these passages and 2 Peter 1:6. Paul has a better list than the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics (temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice), though they are included with better notes struck. Temperance is alike, but kindness is better than justice, long-suffering than fortitude, love than prudence. [source]
Galatians 5:22 Faithfulness [pistis)]
Same word as “faith.” See Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Meekness (prautēs). See 1 Corinthians 4:21; note on 2 Corinthians 10:1.Temperance See Acts 24:25. Old word from egkratēs one holding control or holding in. In N.T. only in these passages and 2 Peter 1:6. Paul has a better list than the four cardinal virtues of the Stoics (temperance, prudence, fortitude, justice), though they are included with better notes struck. Temperance is alike, but kindness is better than justice, long-suffering than fortitude, love than prudence. [source]
1 Thessalonians 3:1 When we could no longer forbear [μηκετι στεγοντες]
Στεγω — Stegō is old verb to cover from στεγη — stegē roof (Mark 2:4), to cover with silence, to conceal, to keep off, to endure as here and 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 13:7. In the papyri in this sense (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary). Μηκετι — Mēketi usual negative with participle in the Koiné{[28928]}š rather than ουκετι — ouketi [source]
2 Timothy 2:11 Faithful is the saying [πιστος ο λογος]
The saying which follows here though it can refer to the preceding as in 1 Timothy 4:9. See note on 1 Timothy 1:15. It is possible that from here to the end of 2 Timothy 2:13 we have the fragment of an early hymn. There are four conditions in these verses (2 Timothy 2:11), all of the first class, assumed to be true. Parallels to the ideas here expressed are found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:3; Romans 6:3-8; Colossians 3:1-4. Note the compounds with συν — sun For υπομενομεν — hupomenomen (we endure) see note on 1 Corinthians 13:7 and for απιστουμεν — apistoumen (we are faithless) see note on Romans 3:3. The verb αρνεομαι — arneomai to deny Here in 2 Timothy 2:13 it has the notion of proving false to oneself, a thing that Christ “cannot” (ου δυναται — ou dunatai) do. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 13:7 mean?

All things it bears believes hopes endures
πάντα στέγει πιστεύει ἐλπίζει ὑπομένει

πάντα  All  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
στέγει  it  bears 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: στέγω  
Sense: deck, thatch, to cover.
πιστεύει  believes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πιστεύω  
Sense: to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.
ἐλπίζει  hopes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐλπίζω  
Sense: to hope.
ὑπομένει  endures 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπομένω 
Sense: to remain.