love: ἀγάπη

Today seems good enough for thoughts on love. We’re reading someone else’s Greek mail (from Saul/Paul, dual citizen of Rome and of the Jewish community of remote Tarsus; to a Jewish-Greek assembly called up in Corinth; around 54 CE). We’re reading someone else’s translation into English (from Suzanne McCarthy, who shares with us on one of her blogs her desire “to integrate some of the ideas found in Alter's translation of the Pentateuch, as well as Anne Carson's translations of Sappho”; and she acknowledges “significant input” from “the Good News Bible, the CEV, the TNIV and the Rotherham Bible; 2007 CE).

If with the tongues of humans, I talk, and even of angels - but love, I have not, I am become a timbring gong or a tinkling cymbal. And if I have prophesy and fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have faith to remove mountains But do not have love I am nothing. And if I give away all my belongings And surrender my body to suffering for the sake of self glory But do not have love I gain nothing. Love is generosity of spirit Love is acts of kindness. Kindness in deed is love.	ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω οὐθέν εἰμι κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου καὶ ἐὰν παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυχήσωμαι ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι ἡ ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ χρηστεύεται ἡ ἀγάπη
It does not envy love does not brag does not puff up does not act shamefully does not seek self does not get irritated does not find fault does not delight at injustice but rejoices along with truth always sustains always trusts always hopes always supports love never fails.	οὐ ζηλοῖ ἡ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται οὐ φυσιοῦται οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς οὐ παροξύνεται οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ συγχαίρει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πάντα στέγει πάντα πιστεύει πάντα ἐλπίζει πάντα ὑπομένει ἡ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε πίπτει
Whether prophesies, they will be left aside or tongues they will end or knowledge it will be left aside. For in part we know and in part we prophesy but when that which is complete comes the end comes that which is in part will be left aside. When I was a child I talked like a child I thought like a child I argued like a child But when I became an adult The things of a child I left aside. Now we see through the looking glass in riddles but then face to face. Now we know in part But then we will know Even as we are known. As so remain faith, hope and love, these three things but the greatest of these is love.	εἴτε δὲ προφητεῖαι καταργηθήσονται εἴτε γλῶσσαι παύσονται εἴτε γνῶσις καταργηθήσεται ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται ὅτε ἤμην νήπιος ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος ὅτε γέγονα ἀνήρ κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου βλέπομεν γὰρ ἄρτι δι' ἐσόπτρου ἐν αἰνίγματι τότε δὲ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον ἄρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην νυνὶ δὲ μένει πίστις ἐλπίς ἀγάπη τὰ τρία ταῦτα μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη