1 Corinthians 13:8

Charity never faileth The Vulgate and some MSS. read falleth. Tyndale renders, falleth never awaye. In the Septuagint (as in Job 15:33, and Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 28:4) the word is used of a fading flower. In Romans 9:6, it is applied to the Word of God.

whether there be prophecies, they shall fail Another word is here used in the original for the word translated fail. It should rather be rendered be brought to an end, literally be worked out. It is translated brought to noughtin ch. 1 Corinthians 1:28, while in 1 Corinthians 13:10 it is rendered done away, in 1 Corinthians 13:11 put away, and in the latter part of this very verse vanish away. The utterances of the inspired man (see ch. 1 Corinthians 14:1) are, we are here told, no longer of any value to us when we are face to face with the facts of which he was wont to speak.

tongues Either (1) speaking with tongues, which as a sign (see ch. 1 Corinthians 14:22) will be unnecessary when we are confronted with the reality and need no more signs and wonders to compel our attention to it Or (2) divers languages, which shall cease when the curse of Babel is removed in the -holy city, New Jerusalem" which shall come down from heaven, and in which all things shall be made new.

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. Rather, be brought to an end. See last note but one. Knowledge (see note on ch. 1 Corinthians 12:8) as the result of a process, the outcome of observation, argument, balancing of probabilities for all these form part of our earthly knowledge is but partial and incomplete (see next verse), and vanishes in a moment before the actual presence of what is. Wisdom, says Estius, will not in like manner vanish, because its perfection consists in the vision of God.