Definitions & Insights – Love and Its Power, Never Fail

Charity¹ never faileth² [1601, ekpipto]: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail³ [2673, katargeo]; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away [2673, katargeo]. (1 Corinthians 13:8 KJV)

Love never perishes. It never falls powerless; it is never without an effect.

Love is therefore greater than prophecies, although they are greatly desired, greater than speaking in tongues, although they inspire awe in those who hear them, and greater than man’s knowledge, although impressive, it still falls short of God’s perfect knowledge. Love is greater, and love never fails.

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1. Note: Charity (26, agape) is translated love in the NKJV.

2. Definition:  faileth – 1601 – to perish, to fall powerless, to be without effect

root 4098 – to come to an end, to no longer have force

3. Definition: fail – 2673 – to render inactive or inoperative; to deprive of force, influence, power

4. Note: Definitions of faileth and fail are from: Larry Pierce, The Online Bible, CD-ROM (Winterbourne, Ontario: Larry Pierce, 2007), 1 Cor 13:8.