I Corinthians 13:10 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 13:10 Commentary: When the Perfect Comes
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of 'that which is perfect' in 1 Cor 13:10. Does it refer to heaven, the second coming, or both? Insights from Greek and tradition.
Research Summary
- Meaning: When the state of completion arrives, our fragmentary knowledge and gifts will cease to function.
- Key words: τέλειον (teleion, perfect, complete), καταργηθήσεται (katargēthēsetai, will be rendered inoperative), ἐκ μέρους (ek merous, in part, fragmentary).
- Main debate: Whether 'that which is perfect' refers to the believer's death, the second coming of Christ, or a process beginning at death and culminating at the resurrection.
- Theological theme: Eschatology and the supremacy of love; the temporary nature of spiritual gifts in light of God's consummation.
- Best use: Teaching on spiritual gifts, Christian hope, the distinction between means and ends in the Christian life.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.
WEB World English Bible 2000
but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
KJV King James Version 1769
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part shall become useless.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
but when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas cuando venga lo que es perfecto, entonces lo que es en parte será quitado.
Mas quando vier o que é completo, Ou: perfeito então o que é em parte será aniquilado.
mais quand ce qui est parfait sera venu, ce qui est partiel disparaîtra.
Wenn aber kommen wird das Vollkommene, so wird das Stückwerk aufhören.
Doch wanneer het volmaakte zal gekomen zijn, dan zal hetgeen ten dele is, te niet gedaan worden.
ma quando la perfezione sarà venuta, quello che è solo in parte, sarà abolito.
Ale gdy przyjdzie to, co jest doskonałego, tedy to, co jest po części, zniszczeje.
когда же настанет совершенное, тогда то, что отчасти, прекратится.
等 那完全的 來到，這有限的必歸於 無有了。
But when that which is complete is come, then that which is in part will be no longer necessary.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 13:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse contrasts a future state of completeness with the current fragmentary gifts. Adam Clarke identifies 'that which is perfect' as 'the state of eternal blessedness.' Barnes describes it as 'heaven, a state of absolute perfection' where all imperfection vanishes. Calvin adds nuance: perfection 'begins at death' but is 'not completely manifested until the day of judgment.' Wesley similarly places it 'at death and in the last day.' Matthew Henry centers on how love outlasts the temporary gifts. All concur that when the perfect arrives, the partial (knowledge, prophecy, tongues) will be rendered inoperative, a meaning of the Greek katargēthēsetai, 'deprived of its power.' The tension among them is timing, not substance.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Christ’s second coming and the general resurrection: Paul parallels face-to-face sight (v12) with the eschatological hope of final consummation (cf. Rev 21:22-23).
- Believer’s death and entrance into glory: Passages like 2 Cor 5:7-8 suggest that to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord, where partial knowledge ceases.
- Both — beginning at death, completed at the end: Calvin and Wesley argue perfection ‘begins at death’ but is ‘not completely manifested until the day of judgment.’
What is clear: The contrast between partial and complete knowledge is certain; the timing of when perfection arrives is the contested point.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of 'that which is perfect' | It is a future state of completion and direct knowledge of God. | Some traditions identify it with the believer's entrance into heaven at death (cf. 2 Cor 5:8); others with the second coming and resurrection (cf. 1 Cor 15:52); a mediating view (Calvin, Wesley) sees it begin at death and reach fullness at the judgment. |
| The cessation of spiritual gifts | Partial knowledge, prophecy and tongues will cease when the perfect comes. | Cessationists argue this means all miraculous gifts have ceased with the closing of the apostolic age; continuationists argue the 'perfect' has not yet come, so gifts remain for the church's use. |
| The meaning of 'in part' (ek merous) | It refers to the fragmentary character of present revelation. | Some take it as qualitative (our knowledge is incomplete in content), others as modal (the way we know is indirect, through means such as gifts). |
| The relationship between love and perfection | Love endures beyond the partial. | Whether love is itself part of the perfect state or the only thing that survives because it belongs to God's own nature. Most agree it is greatest because it is the nature of God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Corinthian church prized spectacular spiritual gifts, tongues and prophecy especially, and often measured maturity by them. Paul corrects this by placing those gifts beside love and showing they are temporary. The Greek term teleion ('perfect') meant something fully developed or complete. In the culture of the day, it evoked ideals of human virtue and philosophical completion. Paul redirects it toward a future divine act, not human progress.
The verb katargēthēsetai ('will be done away') is the same word used in verse 8 for the failing of prophecies and the ceasing of tongues. It means to make something idle, to strip it of its function. The partial (to ek merous, literally 'that which is out of part') refers to the fragmentary nature of present revelation.
Verse 12 gives the contrast: 'For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.' Ancient mirrors were polished metal that gave a dim reflection, a fitting picture of indirect knowledge. Paul contrasts this riddle with direct sight. The cross-references, Isaiah 60:19, where the Lord becomes everlasting light, and Revelation 21:22-23, where God's glory replaces the temple, echo the same promise of unmediated presence. Paul does not dismiss the gifts; he places them in a story that moves from childhood to adulthood (v11), from mirror to face, from part to whole.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note a minor textual variant: Lange’s Commentary indicates that some manuscripts omit τότε (then) after 'when that which is perfect has come.' The connective does not change the sense. No other significant variants are reported for this verse.
Reception History
This verse has sustained Christian hope across the centuries. Early church theologians read it in light of the beatific vision, the face-to-face knowledge of God. Medieval scholastics used it to discuss how faith and hope will cease in heaven while love remains. Protestant Reformers such as Calvin and Wesley stressed the future perfection not yet fully realized. In more recent centuries, 1 Corinthians 13:10 has been central to debates about the duration of spiritual gifts and is often quoted in funeral liturgies, offering comfort that our partial knowing will be swallowed up by full knowing in God’s presence.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- We live in the partial. Paul admits our knowledge and prophecy are fragmentary (v9). Gifts give real but incomplete access to God’s truth.
- The perfect is coming. The arrival of teleion, the completed state, will render partial gifts unnecessary (v10). This is hope: not endless frustration, but a day of clear sight.
- Love outlasts it all. Faith and hope depend on distance from the goal; love does not. Love is the one thing that survives the transition (v13).
Five-point outline
- Gifts are temporary tools. Prophecy, tongues, knowledge are shaped for this age.
- The perfect is a person and a state. It includes the coming of Christ and the new creation where we know as we are known.
- Partial does not mean false. What we have now is real but incomplete, like a child’s understanding (v11).
- The transition will be abrupt. When the perfect comes, the partial is done away, not phased out but rendered inoperative.
- Love is the constant. It runs through both ages, the greatest because it never needs to cease (v13).
Illustration hooks
- A puzzle with most pieces missing. You see part of the image. The gifts are like those pieces, helpful, but not the full picture.
- A child’s bicycle with training wheels. Training wheels are tools for learning. Once you can ride, they are removed, not because they were bad, but because you no longer need them.
- Reading a letter from a friend. The letter gives real knowledge, but when the friend arrives, you set it aside for presence. The gifts are the letter; the perfect is the friend with you.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If these gifts will cease, why care about them now? Because they are real helps for the journey, even if temporary.
- Does this mean the ‘perfect’ has come for some at death? Many Christians find comfort that loved ones now see face to face. The verse allows that reading.
- How do I prioritize love without neglecting gifts? Paul does not dismiss gifts; he puts them in their place. Love is the way they should be used, not an excuse to stop using them.
Leading a Discussion
Paul has been comparing love with spiritual gifts. Here he gives the reason gifts are temporary, because they belong to an age of partial sight. The ‘perfect’ is the key to understanding why love alone remains. As you discuss, consider how you view your own spiritual gifts in light of that future.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. What does Paul say will cease, and what will remain?
- What do you think Paul means by ‘that which is perfect’ (teleion)? What clues do verses 11-12 provide?
- How does the illustration of a mirror (v12) help you understand the difference between now and then?
- In verse 11, Paul uses the image of growing from child to adult. How does this reflect the way you experience spiritual growth?
- If all spiritual gifts are temporary, does that make them less valuable? Why or why not?
- How does this passage affect the way you respond when a prayer or prophecy seems unclear?
- How can you cultivate love, the one thing that never fails, in your daily relationships?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 24:23 | Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem; and glory will be before his elders. |
| Isaiah 60:19 | The sun will be no more your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon give light to you, but Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. |
| Isaiah 60:20 | Your sun will not go down any more, nor will your moon withdraw itself; for Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will end. |
| I Corinthians 13:12 | For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. |
| II Corinthians 5:7 | for we walk by faith, not by sight. |
| II Corinthians 5:8 | We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. |
| Revelation of John 21:22 | I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. |
| Revelation of John 21:23 | The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it and its lamp is the Lamb. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
But when that which is perfect - The state of eternal blessedness; then that which is in part - that which is imperfect, shall be done away; the imperfect as well as the probationary state shall cease for ever.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads Paul's statement as a general principle: when anything perfect arrives, the imperfect naturally fades away. He then applies it to heaven itself, where absolute perfection will cause all present imperfection and incomplete knowledge to vanish without trace.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that the perfection Paul describes comes fully only at the final judgment, not during any intermediate time. It begins at death but reaches complete manifestation on the last day. Applying this passage to the present
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But when that which is perfect, is come, then that which is in part, shalbe abolished.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill locates the coming of what is perfect at the resurrection, when soul and body reunite and believers attain perfect knowledge. The partial knowledge of this life is not abolished but perfected: it is swallowed up in complete understanding, and all imperfect ways of knowing cease.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
that which is in part —fragmentary and isolated.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the Greek word "agape" refers to
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry's key point is that charity, or love, outlasts every spiritual gift because it belongs to eternity itself. Prophecy, tongues, and knowledge are temporary tools for the church on earth, but love remains forever in heaven where all other gifts become unnecessary.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley specifies that the perfect state arrives at death and the final judgment. What is partial then disappears, meaning both our dim, incomplete knowledge and the slow, unsatisfactory ways we acquire and pass it along to others.