"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 13:4 is the verse people mean when they search the reference for "love is patient, love is kind." This page is the passage and a plain reading. The first clause alone is Love is patient Bible verse. The second clause alone is Love is kind Bible verse. Verses 4–7 together are 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and What 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 means. The whole chapter is 1 Corinthians 13.
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The verse
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV) says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."
The King James reads, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." Paul opens the love list with two positive verbs, then three refusals.
What the verse is saying
Patience refuses to punish when waiting hurts. Kindness moves toward someone's good. Envy, boasting, and pride turn the self into the center; love will not. Paul wrote this to a church dividing over gifts and status, not only to couples planning a wedding.
Verses 5–7 continue the same paragraph. This page stays with verse 4. The four-verse unit is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
How people use 1 Corinthians 13:4
People look up the reference for wedding readings, sermons on love's character, and cards that quote "love is patient, love is kind." Ceremony lists that include these lines are Wedding Bible verses and Wedding Bible readings. Kindness across the site is Love and kindness. Marriage context is Love and marriage.
Questions people ask
What does 1 Corinthians 13:4 say?
It says love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
What does love is patient, love is kind mean?
Patience refuses to punish. Kindness does the good that is in front of you. Together they open Paul's definition of love. See Love is patient Bible verse and Love is kind Bible verse.
Is this only a wedding verse?
Weddings often use it. Paul wrote it to a congregation. The first audience was the church in Corinth.
How does verse 4 relate to verses 4–7?
Verse 4 opens the list. Verses 5–7 keep naming what love does and refuses. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 for the full unit.
Where should I read next?
For the first clause, read Love is patient Bible verse. For the second, read Love is kind Bible verse. For verses 4–7, read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
