But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
And now--Translate, "But now." "In this present state" [HENDERSON]. Or, "now" does not express time, but opposition, as in Co1 5:11, "the case being so" [GROTIUS]; whereas it is the case that the three gifts, "prophecy," "tongues," and "knowledge" (cited as specimens of the whole class of gifts) "fail" (Co1 13:8), there abide permanently only these three--faith, hope, charity.
Here the apostle goes on to commend charity, and show how much it is preferable to the gifts on which the Corinthians were so apt to pride themselves, to the utter neglect, and almost extinction, of charity. This he makes out, I. From its longer continuance and duration: Charity never faileth.
Commenting on 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
The design of the apostle in these words is, 1. To inform the Corinthians, that the sanctifying graces of faith, hope, and charity, are far to be preferred before all the fore -mentioned extraordinary gifts of prophecy, miracles, tongues, healing the sick, and raising the dead, not excepted.