Verse of the Day
Thursday, February 12, 2026
1 Corinthians 13:6-7
[Love] does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Introduction
In the verses preceding this passage, St. Paul defines love (agape) by what it is not—it is not envious, boastful, arrogant, or rude. In verses 6 and 7, the rhythm shifts. Paul pivots from the negatives to the positives, describing the active, muscular nature of divine love.
Often read at weddings as a romantic ideal, these lines are actually a rigorous description of spiritual maturity. They present love not as a fleeting emotion, but as a relentless moral force. This section explores the integrity of love (it loves the truth) and the resilience of love (it withstands pressure).
Commentary
"[Love] does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth."
This pairing addresses the moral compass of the believer.
Rejoicing in wrongdoing: This warns against schadenfreude—the malicious enjoyment of another’s failure or sin. In a fractured community, it is tempting to feel vindicated when an opponent falls. Paul asserts that genuine love never finds pleasure in sin, injustice, or the suffering of others, even enemies.
Rejoices in the truth: Love is not indifferent to morality. It does not say, "It doesn't matter what you do because I love you." Instead, it celebrates when truth prevails and when righteousness is enacted. Love and Truth are siblings; they cannot be separated.
"It bears all things..."
The Greek verb used here is stego, which can mean "to cover" (like a roof) or "to support."
The Protective Aspect: Love protects others. It does not broadcast the faults of others for gossip but handles them with discretion.
The Tolerant Aspect: It withstands annoyances and insults without cracking. It acts as a shield against the elements of conflict.
"...believes all things..."
This is not a call to gullibility or naivety. It does not mean love ignores evidence of danger. Rather, it refers to trust and the refusal to be suspicious.
Giving the benefit of the doubt: When intentions are unclear, love interprets them in the best possible light. It chooses trust over cynicism.
"...hopes all things..."
When belief is shattered and the evidence looks grim, love moves to hope. This is a refusal to consider anyone a "lost cause." It is a forward-looking confidence that God’s grace can redeem any situation or person.
"...endures all things."
The Greek term hypomeno is a military word meaning "to remain under" or to hold one's ground. It implies staying power in the face of an aggressive assault. Love is not a passive emotion; it is a soldier that refuses to leave its post, regardless of the difficulty.
Understanding the Context
To fully grasp the weight of these words, we must look at the city of Corinth and the specific church Paul was addressing.
The Corinthian Crisis
The church in Corinth was gifted but deeply immature. They were divided by factions, lawsuits, and competitive displays of spiritual gifts (like speaking in tongues).
The Contrast: When Paul describes love, he is implicitly criticizing the Corinthians. They were rejoicing in wrongdoing (tolerating incest and suing one another). They were not bearing with the weak; they were humiliating them during the Lord's Supper.
The "More Excellent Way": Paul places this chapter between the discussion of spiritual gifts (Chapter 12) and the order of worship (Chapter 14). He is arguing that spiritual power (prophecy, tongues, knowledge) is dangerous and destructive without the stabilizing, enduring character of Love.
Application for Today
In the Digital Age: Verse 6 ("does not rejoice in wrongdoing") is a vital corrective for our consumption of news and social media.
The Challenge: Algorithms often feed us "outrage content"—videos or articles where someone "on the other side" behaves badly. We are tempted to click, share, and gloat.
The Practice: Love requires us to scroll past the scandal, refusing to participate in the public shaming or the celebration of another’s moral failure.
In Broken Relationships: Verse 7 ("bears, believes, hopes, endures") provides a blueprint for conflict resolution.
The Challenge: When hurt, our instinct is to protect ourselves, assume the worst motives in our partner/friend, and give up.
The Practice: "Believing all things" asks us to check our assumptions: Am I assigning a malicious motive where there might be a misunderstanding? "Enduring all things" challenges the "cancel culture" mindset that discards relationships the moment they become difficult.
Reflection
St. Paul’s description of love in these verses is admittedly overwhelming. If we replace the word "Love" with our own names ("John bears all things, Sarah endures all things"), we immediately see how far short we fall.
However, this text is not meant to simply make us feel guilty; it is meant to point us to the source of this love. In Christian theology, Christ is the incarnation of this description. He is the one who bore the cross (bearing all things) and did not give up on his disciples (enduring all things).
Therefore, we do not generate this love through sheer willpower. We receive it. We practice these four pillars—bearing, believing, hoping, enduring—not to earn God’s love, but because that is how God has loved us. It is a call to be a "roof" that protects, a heart that trusts, and a spirit that refuses to retreat.
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Verse of the Day is a daily inspirational and encouraging Bible verse, extracted from BibleGateway.com. Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM.
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