1 Corinthians 13 is not about the cessation of the gifts of the Spirit.

Dear in Christ,

I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say 1Cor 13:1-7 is all about charity or love. Every commentator, scholar and exegete agrees with me. For some mysterious reason, the rest of the chapter is thought or misinterpreted to be about the cessation of gifts of the Spirit! Let's step through the rest of the chapter.

1Cor 13:8: Charity^[G26] never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Let's ask ourselves: Isn't this verse about the unfailing nature of love, while compared to the failing nature of prophecies, tongues and knowledge?

1Cor 13:9: FOR^[G1063] we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

Have you noticed that this verse starts with "For", which means "because (of)"? This word connects this verse to the previous one. In other words: knowledge and prophecy fail because we have only partial knowledge and our prophecies aren't perfect and not because of any kind of cessation of gifts.

1Cor 13:10: But when that which is perfect^[G5046] is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

A lot of conjectures have been made on the  meaning of the term "perfect is come", some say it is about the second coming of Jesus Christ, some others say it is about the Bible being made available. Though the Greek word translated as "perfect" (τέλειος, teleios,  G5046 in Strong's) in this verse is used 19 times in the New Testament, let us examine a few of them.

1Cor 14:20: Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men^[G5046].

(men contrasted to children, adults contrasted to kids.)

Eph 4:13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect^[G5046] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(again, the talk is about being mature, adult)

Heb 5:14: But (contrasted with babes in the previous verse) strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age^[G5046], [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
1Jn 4:18: There is no fear in love; but perfect^[G5046] love^[G26] casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

(Doesn't it talk about mature love? Please note that the Greek word translated as "love", ἀγάπη, agapē, G26 in Strong's, is the same as the one translated as "charity/love", throughout 1Cor 13.)

Dear in Christ, 1Cor 13:10 talks about mature love, contrasted with the immature love (child) mentioned in the succeeding verse.

1Cor 13:11: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Doesn't the scripture, again, contrast childish ways with the approach of a matured man?

1Cor 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Folks have read too much into the words "now" and "then". Most are of the opinion that "now" stands for the present life and "then" for the life to come! Some have explicitly stated that "then" is about heaven! Try applying the same meanings to every occurrence of "now" and "then" throughout the New Testament and you will realize how absurd it would be.


In the context, "now" stands for our present childish ways and "then" for the ways of a matured man, when we attain maturity.

Let me give you an example to make the understanding of the proceedings easier. Let's assume that you are Mr. John Doe (or Ms. Jane Doe, if you please), a preacher, a prophet and a Biblical scholar, rolled into one. I came into contact with you on Facebook and have been interacting with you through the Facebook Messenger. Once you prophesied that my skin disorder would be healed in a week, but it didn't happen. A few times I asked you doubts about some of the scriptures, but your answers didn't convince me. Slowly, and steadily, I was losing all the high regards for you. I would say, I was very childish in my approach.


Days and months passed by, I learned more about you, your struggles to reach where you are and things like that. Now, I started loving you. Once I love you, I ignore your imperfections, failed prophecies and unconvincing answers. None of them matters to me, because, I have matured or grown up in love and I see you, just as I see myself.

1Cor 13:13: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This verse has nothing to do with cessation of gifts, it's about the superiority of love over faith and hope.

The proponents of the doctrine of cessationism, have done too much of eisegesis and in their zeal to establish their doctrine missed out on a preposition ("for") in 1Cor 13:9.

The power and working of the Holy Spirit is the very proof of the establishment of the eternal Kingdom of God, and it won't cease:

Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

The problem with Christianity is that we equate gifts with speaking in tongues, miracles and healing, as if they are the only gifts. I haven't heard many talking about the gifts of: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and discerning of spirits. (1Cor 12:8, 10). We don't see many desiring these gifts, probably, because these gifts won't make them celebrity preachers and pastors! It's never too late to identify the gifts that we have.

In Christ,

Tomsan Kattackal