TRV
1 Corinthians 13:11
Bible Versions
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child,
thought like a child, argued like a child;
now that I have become a man,
I have finished with childish ways.
thought like a child, argued like a child;
now that I have become a man,
I have finished with childish ways.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.
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1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. -
1 Corinthians 3:1
¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. -
1 Corinthians 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. -
Galatians 4:1
¶ Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; -
Ecclesiastes 11:10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
Context of 1 Corinthians 13:11
This powerful verse is situated within the Apostle Paul's renowned discourse on love, often called the "love chapter," 1 Corinthians 13. Paul addresses the Corinthian church, which was marked by spiritual pride, divisions, and an overemphasis on certain spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues and prophecy, sometimes at the expense of unity and love. In the preceding chapter, he urges them to desire the "best gifts" but then immediately points to a "more excellent way" in 1 Corinthians 12:31, which is love. Chapter 13 then contrasts the temporary and imperfect nature of spiritual gifts with the eternal and perfect nature of love. Verse 11 uses a relatable human analogy—the transition from childhood to adulthood—to illustrate this spiritual progression, particularly in understanding and perception.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
Paul uses three verbs in the imperfect tense to describe his childhood actions: "spake" (ἔλάλουν - elaloun), "understood" (ἐφρόνουν - ephronoun), and "thought" (ἐλογιζόμην - elogizomēn). These imperfect tenses indicate continuous or habitual actions characteristic of a child's ongoing development.
In contrast, "put away" (κατήργηκα - katērgeka) is in the perfect tense, signifying a decisive, completed action with lasting results. The Greek word katargeō means to "render idle, abolish, bring to naught, or cease to practice." It implies a deliberate and definitive abandonment of immature ways, not just a gradual fading. This highlights the intentionality required in the pursuit of spiritual maturity.
Practical Application
For believers today, 1 Corinthians 13:11 serves as a profound call to continuous spiritual growth. It prompts us to: