I Corinthians 13:3 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 13:3 Commentary: Sacrifice Without Love Profits Nothing
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why giving everything and even martyrdom are worthless without love. Study the Greek text, textual variants, and the supreme importance of love.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Even total self-sacrifice is spiritually worthless if not motivated by genuine love.
- Key words: psōmisō (dole out in morsels), paradō (deliver up), kauchēsōmai (that I may boast) vs kauthēsōmai (that I may be burned), agapē (divine love), ōpheloumai (I am profited).
- Main debate: Whether the original text read “be burned” or “boast,” and whether “profit” refers to eternal salvation or temporal reward.
- Theological theme: Love as the indispensable motive for all Christian service; salvation is not earned by even the most heroic works.
- Best use: Examining motives behind acts of charity and devotion, and teaching that love is the “more excellent way.”
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
WEB World English Bible 2000
If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
KJV King James Version 1769
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y si repartiese toda mi hacienda para dar de comer á pobres, y si entregase mi cuerpo para ser quemado, y no tengo caridad, de nada me sirve.
E ainda que eu distribuísse todos os meus bens para alimentar aos pobres , e ainda que entregasse meu corpo para ser queimado, e não tivesse amor, nada me aproveitaria.
Et quand je distribuerais tous mes biens pour la nourriture des pauvres, quand je livrerais même mon corps pour être brûlé, si je n’ ai pas la charité, cela ne me sert de rien.
Und wenn ich alle meine Habe den Armen gäbe und ließe meinen Leib brennen, und hätte der Liebe nicht, so wäre mir's nichts nütze.
En al ware het, dat ik al mijn goederen tot onderhoud der armen uitdeelde, en al ware het, dat ik mijn lichaam overgaf, opdat ik verbrand zou worden, en had de liefde niet, zo zou het mij geen nuttigheid geven.
E quando distribuissi tutte le mie facoltà per nutrire i poveri, e quando dessi il mio corpo ad essere arso, se non ho carità, ciò niente mi giova.
I choćbym wynałożył na żywność ubogich wszystkę majętność moję, i choćbym wydał ciało moje, abym był spalony, a miłości bym nie miał, nic mi to nie pomoże.
И если я раздам все имение мое и отдам тело мое на сожжение, а любви не имею, нет мне в том никакой пользы.
我若 將所有 的 賙濟窮人，又 捨 己 身 叫 人焚燒，卻 沒 有 愛，仍然與我無 益。
And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 13:3
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 on the central point: the most extreme acts of self-sacrifice, giving away all possessions and even dying as a martyr, are worthless if not done from love. The Greek verb psōmisō (I shall give away) carries the specific sense of feeding in morsels, a careful, piecemeal distribution (Clarke, Vincent). Barnes notes that this kind of charity was often done ostentatiously in Corinth, attracting praise. Paul pushes the hypothetical to its limit: even giving your body to be burned accomplishes nothing if love is absent. Calvin and Gill emphasize that martyrdom can proceed from pride or misguided zeal rather than true love for God and neighbor. The ultimate verdict, ouden ōpheloumai, “I am profited nothing”, is not about social benefit but about eternal standing before God (Poole, Henry). Without love, the soul remains unredeemed, no matter the outer show.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Eternal profit (salvation): Most commentators (Barnes, Gill, Henry) interpret 'profit' in terms of eternal salvation—without love, one cannot be saved even with martyrdom.
- Temporal or relational profit: Some see 'profit' as personal benefit or reward in this life or the next, not necessarily loss of salvation. The context of reward in Matthew 6 supports this.
- Textual interpretation: boast vs burn: The variant reading 'that I may boast' shifts the meaning from fiery death to a death sought for self-glory; profitlessness applies to both.
What is clear: Love is essential; without it, even the most extreme acts of sacrifice are worthless in God’s sight and bring no eternal benefit.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'love' (agapē) | All traditions agree Paul refers to divine, self-giving love directed toward God and neighbor, not mere sentiment or philanthropy. | Catholic theology often distinguishes between natural virtue and supernatural charity (infused by grace), while Protestant traditions emphasize that this love flows from saving faith and is a fruit of the Spirit. Both see love as essential. |
| Textual variant: 'be burned' vs 'boast' | The earliest manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) support 'that I may boast' (kauchēsōmai). Most modern translations follow that reading. | Some traditional translations retain 'be burned' (kauthēsōmai) due to later manuscript support and familiarity. The variant affects whether Paul specifically mentions martyrdom by fire or more generally the motive of boasting. |
| What does 'it profits me nothing' mean? | The act itself does not secure God's favor or eternal life. Love is the prerequisite for any work to be acceptable to God. | Some interpret 'profit' as lack of eternal reward (e.g., loss of salvation), while others see it as no personal benefit in terms of spiritual growth or heavenly treasure. The broader Protestant-Catholic divide on merit surfaces here, but both affirm that without love, the work is empty before God. |
| Are these hypotheticals possible? | Paul presents extreme scenarios to make a point. Both giving away all goods and martyrdom are real possibilities in Christian life. | Some commentators think Paul speaks hypothetically of a person who does these things without love (Barnes, Calvin). Others see a prophetic reference to future martyrdoms (Gill). All agree the principle stands: love is indispensable. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First Corinthians 13 sits between two chapters on spiritual gifts. Paul has been correcting the Corinthians’ pride in spectacular manifestations, tongues, prophecy, knowledge, and now he shows them “a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The letter reflects a congregation enamored with visible signs of spirituality, where giving to the poor could become a competitive display (Matthew 6:2-4).
The verb psōmisō (“feed by morsels”) evokes the practice of distributing alms at one’s gate to many recipients, a public demonstration of generosity (Barnes). Judaism had examples of wealthy figures giving away all they had, sometimes hoping to earn merit (Gill cites rabbinic traditions). Paul declares that even such lavish charity is empty without love.
The second hypothetical, giving one’s body to be burned, raises a textual question that shapes the historical background. The earliest manuscripts read kauchēsōmai (“that I may boast”) rather than kauthēsōmai (“that I may be burned”). Vincent notes that burning as a punishment for Christians was rare when Paul wrote; Nero’s torches came later. A boastful martyrdom, choosing death for personal glory, was already known in the ancient world. The Indian sage Calanus burned himself before Alexander’s army. Clarke adds that some early Christians “thrust themselves into the glory and imagined redemptiveness of the baptism of blood” (Vincent, citing Farrar). Paul’s prophetic Spirit may also have foreseen the coming persecutions when many would die in flames (Calvin). Either way, the context is a church that needed to distinguish between genuine love and religious performance.
Textual Notes
The most significant textual variant in this verse is the verb in the second clause: kauthēsōmai (“that I may be burned”) versus kauchēsōmai (“that I may boast”). The earliest and best manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus) read kauchēsōmai, and the modern critical text (NA28) adopts this reading. The change to “burned” likely arose from scribes familiar with Christian martyrdom by fire, or from misreading a contracted form. Clarke notes that several early versions (Ethiopic, Coptic) and the Codex Alexandrinus support the reading “that I may glory.” The BSB reflects this choice: “exult in the surrender of my body.” The meaning shifts: Paul may be referring not to literal burning but to a boastful, self-glorifying surrender of the body. Either way, the point remains, without love, even the highest sacrifice is profitless. No other significant variants are reported in the supplied sources.
Reception History
From the early church onward, this verse has served as a safeguard against empty religious performance. The apostolic fathers (Clement, Ignatius) echoed Paul’s priority of love in ministry. In the medieval period, Thomas Aquinas and others used it to teach that charity is the form of all virtues, without it, faith and works are dead. Reformation-era commentators like Calvin and Luther stressed that love must spring from faith and is the evidence of true conversion, not a means of earning salvation. In the Wesleyan tradition, this passage underscores entire sanctification and perfect love. Modern readers have focused on the danger of activism without genuine relationship with God and neighbor. The verse has also been a touchstone in debates about salvation by grace versus works, with most traditions agreeing that no human effort, however extreme, can substitute for the love that God gives and requires.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Extreme sacrifice can be done without love. Giving every possession and even dying for one’s faith are outwardly noble, but the heart may be cold. The Greek for “give away” (psōmisō) pictures a careful doling out, a ministry that looks loving but may not be. Cross-reference: Matthew 6:1-4 (giving to be seen).
- Without love, even martyrdom profits nothing. The textual variant, whether Paul wrote “burned” or “boast”, sharpens the point. If martyrdom can be tainted by pride, it becomes a hollow act. Cross-reference: Matthew 7:22-23 (many mighty works but unknown by Christ).
- True love is the only thing that makes sacrifice count before God. Love is not an add-on to our service; it is the soul of it. Without it, all profit is lost. Cross-reference: Matthew 16:26 (gaining world but losing soul).
Five-point outline
- Paul escalates from gifts to actions, from eloquence and faith (vv. 1-2) to radical generosity and martyrdom (v. 3).
- The verb psōmisō emphasizes methodical, costly charity, not casual giving.
- The second clause may originally read “that I may boast,” exposing the motive even in death.
- Paul’s “it profits me nothing” echoes Jesus’ warning about reward lost when done for human praise (Matthew 6).
- Love is the indispensable core; without it, the most heroic acts are spiritually empty.
Illustration hooks
- Tax-deductible charity: A person donates a large sum, but the motivation is a tax break or public recognition, not compassion. The act benefits others, but the giver’s heart is cold.
- Martyrdom for a cause: History records people who died for an ideology or even for religious identity without a personal relationship with God. Courage alone does not equal love.
- Parenting without affection: A parent provides everything materially for a child, food, clothes, education, but remains emotionally distant. The child feels the lack of love. Our service to God can be similarly hollow.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If I do good deeds but don’t feel loving, is my service worthless?”
- “Does this verse mean that non-Christians who sacrifice for others get no credit with God?”
- “How can I know if my giving is motivated by love or by pride?”
Leading a Discussion
Paul confronts us with a sobering truth: we can appear to give everything and still miss what matters. The Corinthians were dazzled by spiritual fireworks; Paul redirects them to the heart. This passage invites us to examine not just what we do, but why we do it.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. What kinds of spiritual gifts and actions does Paul list? Why do you think he starts with the most impressive?
- The Greek word psōmisō means to feed in morsels, careful, generous distribution. How does that word picture change how you understand “giving all my goods”?
- Some early manuscripts read “that I may boast” instead of “that I may be burned.” How does a boastful martyrdom compare to a loving one? Why would Paul consider that possibility?
- Paul says without love, such acts “profit me nothing.” What do you think “profit” means here? Eternal salvation? Personal reward? Something else? (Compare Matthew 6:1-4.)
- Can you think of a time you did something generous or sacrificial but later realized your motive was mixed? How did that affect you?
- How do we distinguish between loving service and mere performance? What practical tests help us examine our hearts?
- In what ways does this passage free us from trying to earn God’s favor through our deeds? How does it challenge us to grow in genuine love?
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 57:12 | I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you. |
| Jeremiah 7:8 | Behold, you trust in lying words that can’t profit. |
| Daniel 3:16 | Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. |
| Daniel 3:28 | Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God. |
| Matthew 6:1 | “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. |
| Matthew 6:4 | so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. |
| Matthew 7:22 | Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ |
| Matthew 7:23 | Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’ |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to the Greek word for feeding the poor, which means to divide into morsels and put into the mouth, suggesting tender care beyond merely giving goods. He also considers textual evidence that "give my body to be burned" may have originally been "that I may boast," shifting the point from martyrdom to self-glory. Either way, without love, even these extreme acts profit nothing.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that even distributing all one's property in small portions to the poor or dying as a martyr counts for nothing without genuine love for God and others. He insists the motive matters: such acts, done for praise or misplaced zeal, bring no spiritual profit and do not save the soul.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists that even the most praiseworthy acts—giving away all possessions or suffering martyrdom
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that the Greek verb Paul uses for giving away property literally means to dole out morsels by mouthfuls, so even generous charity is possible without love. Similarly, martyrdom can arise from a defiant, self-justifying spirit rather than love for Christ, making it spiritually worthless.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that even the most extreme acts of generosity or martyrdom are completely worthless if love is absent. No outward sacrifice can substitute for the inward grace of charity.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that even the most extreme acts, like giving away all possessions or dying as a martyr, count for nothing in salvation unless they spring from genuine love for God and Christ. He points out that people often performed these deeds for earthly praise or to earn heaven, not from the right motive. Such actions may benefit others but cannot save the person doing them when love is absent.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that a person can give away all possessions and even die as a martyr yet still lack love, the essential spirit of Christianity. Without the soul's love, God rejects such sacrifices, and the person gains nothing. Outward acts of giving and suffering do not prove the inner reality of love.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry distinguishes charity from its common association with almsgiving, defining it instead as love in its fullest sense: true devotion to God and goodwill toward others. Without this love, he argues, the most impressive spiritual gifts amount to nothing more than empty noise, useless both to oneself and to others.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent observes that the oldest Greek manuscripts read "that I may glory" rather than "that I may be burned." He suggests the more familiar "burned" likely entered later through copyists accustomed to martyrdom stories, missing Paul's point that even total self-sacrifice can be done for self-glory.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that even the most extreme acts—giving away every possession piece by piece, or dying as a martyr rather than renouncing faith—count for nothing without love. Every word, gift, knowledge, action, and suffering is empty and worthless if love is absent.