The Nugget:
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (KJV)
1Co 13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; (ESV)
1Co 13:5 doth not act unseemly, doth not seek its own things, is not provoked, doth not impute evil, (Young’s Literal Translation)
1Co 13:5 It does not act with rudeness, or insist upon its rights; it never gets provoked, it never harbors evil thoughts; (Williams NT)
1Co 13:5 Love is never self-seeking, never provoked, never reckons up her wrongs; (TCNT, Twentieth Century NT)
1Co 13:5 does not behave indecently, does not pursue its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; (LITV, Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)
1Co 13:5 It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs. (GW, God’s Word translation)
1Co 13:5 rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. (CEV, Contemporary English Translation)
My Comment:
The subject of love is an important subject in the Bible. Comparing Bible translations enables us to see what Bible translators see in the original language text. This gives us significant additional insight.
A very practical exercise is to read a Bible verse then ask the question “What does this verse say about my responsibility? What does it say about God’s responsibility. This verse, 1 Corinthians 13:5, has much to say about my responsibility.
Try looking back at the several translations presented above with the question in mind, “What does this verse say about my responsibility?” You will appreciate the additional insight and focus this Bible study method brings.
The opposite of love is hate. Sometimes in Bible study it is helpful to study the opposite quality:
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Digging Deeper:
Studying the cross references for any given verse by using The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge or its expanded update, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, will provide much more insight. Here are the cross references for 1 Corinthians 13:5 as they are given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1 Corinthians 13:5
behave. 1Co 7:36 g. 1Co 11:13, 14, 15, 16; 1Co 11:18; 1Co 11:21, 22; 1Co 14:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, Gen 45:1, Num 32:6, *Rth 3:10, Pro 14:7, Isa 3:5, **Php 4:8, Col 3:14, 2Th 3:7, *1Pe 3:8.
seeketh not her own. or, does not insist on its own way (English Standard Version). 1Co 8:13; *+1Co 10:24; *+1Co 10:33; 1Co 12:25, +*Gen 31:38, Num 16:15, +*Deut 1:36; Deut 29:29, Jos 1:15; +**Jos 14:8; +**Jos 14:9, +**Rom 12:19; Rom 14:12, 13, 14, 15; *Rom 15:1; *Rom 15:2, 2Co 12:15, Gal 5:13; *Gal 6:1; *Gal 6:2, Eph 4:16, +*Php 2:3, 4, 5; +*Php 2:21; Php 4:8, 1Th 1:3, 2Ti 2:10, +*Heb 6:10, *1Jn 3:16, 17, 18.
not easily provoked. or, roused to anger. Gr. paroxunomai (S# G3947, exasperate). There is no word in the Greek text for “easily.” The statement is absolute (CB). *Num 12:3; Num 16:15; Num 20:10, 11, 12, Deut 9:7; Deut 9:19, Psa 106:32, 33, +*Pro 14:17, *Mat 5:22, Mar 3:5, Luk 11:53, Act 15:39; Act 17:16 g (stirred). 1Th 5:14, Heb 10:24 g. **Jas 1:19; **Jas 1:20.
thinketh. FS155F, +Gen 4:7.
no evil. Gen 31:32, Deut 22:27, 1Sa 1:13, 2Sa 10:3, 1Ch 19:3, Job 21:27, Psa 15:3, Ecc 7:21, Jer 11:19; Jer 18:18, 19, 20; Jer 40:13, 14, 15, 16, Zec 8:17, *Mat 9:4, *Luk 7:39, 2Co 5:19, 2Ti 2:24, Tit 3:2.