Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 13:5
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church, a community fracturing over factions and spiritual-gift boasting. This verse sits at the center of his corrective hymn on love (13:1–13), bracketed by the positive traits (v. 4) and the joy-in-truth clause (v. 6).
The words — ἀσχημονεῖ (aschēmonei) literally means "acts unbecomingly" or "behaves disgracefully," a far stronger charge than the English "not rude." The verb ζητεῖ (zētei) with τὰ ἑαυτῆς ("its own things") makes the self-seeking concrete: love does not hunt for personal advantage.
The thread — The same anti-selfishness appears in 1 Corinthians 10:24 ("seek the good of others") and Philippians 2:3 ("do nothing out of selfish ambition"). 1 John 3:16 pushes the logic to its extreme: love lays down its life, the opposite of seeking its own.
Why it lands — The verse is a behavioral test, not an emotional standard: it asks whether you keep score, whether you snap, whether you quietly optimize for your own gain. It strips love of sentiment and forces it into observable conduct.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 10:24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- 1 John 3:16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
- James 1:19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Philippians 2:21 For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
- Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Galatians 5:13 For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- 1 Corinthians 12:25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.