1 Corinthians 13:8b-10
What is written? (ESV)
As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
What does it say?
(Unlike love), prophecies, tongues and knowledge (certain miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit) will all come to an end. Our knowledge and prophesying is only partial right now, so when the perfect comes, that which is partial will pass away.
What is its immediate context?
Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. He has just expounded on what Godly love and acts like making the final point that love as he’s defined it (e.g. Godly) never ends. In the immediate context, Paul is clearly speaking of those miraculous gifts from God (prophecies, tongues and [special] knowledge) that are “partial” and “will pass away” when “the perfect [complete] comes.” He goes on to invoke the logic of a man that gives up childish things as he grows up and matures (vs 11). He also illustrates with the analogy of looking into a mirror that is currently only dimly lit as opposed to seeing something “face to face” or eye to eye (vs 12).
How 1 Corinthians 13:8b-10 is applied across Bible answers
Do God’s prophets exist today?
Prophesying provided "a part" of God's revelation. Therefore, when the perfect or complete revelation came prophesying would no longer be required.
Is the Bible the complete revelation of God?
Paul writes that when "the perfect comes", spiritual gifts that are "partial" like prophecies, speaking in tongues, and [special] knowledge will cease.
Paul doesn't explicitly say what the "the perfect" is here but it is juxtaposed with all of the spiritual gifts involving God's word and how it was conveyed at that time (through prophecies, speaking in tongues, and knowledge). It's written at a time, maybe around 55BC, before all of the New Testament as we know it had been written.
