My question is regarding prophecy.\u00a0 It seems I always get the same answer regarding this question (I Corinthians 13:8), “Love never fails, but whether there are prophecies they will fail, tongues will cease, knowledge will vanish,” (not an exact\u00a0quote). But if you take this one verse literally, if prophecies have come to an end, wouldn’t you also have to say that knowledge has vanished too?\u00a0It seems like this one verse according to the churches of Christ wipes out all the other\u00a0written words regarding prophesy because it continues to go on in this same\u00a0book\u00a0regarding prophecies.\u00a0\u00a0I Corinthians 14:1, “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.”\u00a0I Corinthians 14:22, “Prophesy is for believers” (not an exact quote).\u00a0 It just seems to be so much written about prophecy in the New Testament.\u00a0 Do you believe all<\/em>\u00a0prophesy is bad or evil?<\/p>\n Many thanks to you for your thoughts.<\/p>\n\t Would you care to make reference to the verse that says prophecy would continue to the end of the age? You must know of one because you assume that this mysterious verse contradicts what Paul said, “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away<\/em>” (I Corinthian 13:8). The reason this verse is cited is that Paul does specify that the spiritual gifts were temporary. No other verse states otherwise. Yes, I Corinthians 12-14 discuss the role spiritual gifts played in the church. But a discussion of it doesn’t mean they must continue. There are many passages talking about the apostles, but that doesn’t imply that there are modern-day apostles.<\/p>\n The problem the Corinthians had was pride in their spiritual gifts. I Corinthians 12-14 put those gifts into proper perspective — their service to the church, how they did not make one brother better than another, how they and many other things were worthless without love, how they were temporary, and how showy gifts, such as speaking in tongues, were not nearly as important as gifts that could build up the church, such as prophecy. Despite all this instruction, you still have people insisting on the opposite. They put a lot of emphasis on having gifts, even when they don’t have gifts. They say that those who don’t have gifts are less than those who do, they insist they are permanent, and they put a lot of emphasis on showy displays. Some people just refuse to learn.<\/p>\n People spoke in multiple languages prior to the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit. What makes tongues a gift was that the speaker did not have to learn another language in order to communicate with another person. Knowledge existed before the Spirit gave the gift of knowledge. What made the gift of knowledge unusual is that a person was able to know things without having to first build up the experience.<\/p>\n Love remains, but the spiritual gifts were temporary. Prophecy, speaking on what God wanted to be said (Exodus 4:15-16); tongues, speaking to other people in their own language without learning it; and knowledge, information without experience, all would end. Paul is not saying God\u2019s word would fail to come about, or that languages would cease to be used, or that people would stop knowing things. He is saying the giving of God\u2019s word, the ability to speak in other languages without study, and the ability to know things without experience would no longer be supplied to God\u2019s people. The miraculous nature of these gifts would come to an end.<\/p>\n “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:9-10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The reason for the cessation is that they were at best partial. Those who were given knowledge knew facts they needed at the moment, but they didn\u2019t know all. Those who prophesied were told what needed to be said, but it wasn\u2019t everything. These partial abilities were given to fill in a gap until the perfect comes.<\/p>\n The word \u201cperfect\u201d translates the Greek word\u00a0teleion<\/em>. It means something that has been brought to completion, complete, entire, having attained its end or purpose. It is used in the idea of a person who has grown to adulthood. Hence, it can refer to spiritual maturity as in, \u201cBut let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing<\/em>\u201d (James 1:4), which gives a good definition of the word. It does not mean without flaw, as we often use the word \u201cperfect\u201d today.<\/p>\n “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:11).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The spiritual gifts were temporary measures to bring about maturity. That is why Paul stated that as a child you talk, think, and reason as children, but when you grow up the childish things are put aside. The same thing would happen with spiritual gifts.<\/p>\n “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:12).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Things at the moment appear to be riddles, which is what \u201cdimly\u201d means in\u00a0I Corinthians 13:12. It is the medium that causes the difficulty. Like a poor mirror, the spiritual gifts gave an incomplete view of everything a Christian needed. Later we\u2019ll be seeing things directly with no mirror in between. Later I\u2019ll know things accurately, as accurately as I know myself.<\/p>\n Paul states that when that which is perfect (complete, mature) comes, then the part would end. In both Greek and English, the phrase indicates that some object or concept which is perfect, complete, and mature arrives. It is not referring to a person. We know that spiritual maturity is brought about by the word of God (II Timothy 3:16-17, \u201cperfect\u201d here is a synonym Greek word, artios<\/em>). James calls it the perfect law, the same word for \u201cmaturity\u201d that we have seen before.<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does\u00a0<\/em>(James 1:21-25).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Notice that many of the same themes are stated in James. People who look into the complete, perfect, mature law of liberty are able to see accurately.<\/p>\n “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:9-10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n At the time Paul penned I Corinthians, the law of liberty was still being revealed. It hadn\u2019t yet fully arrived. When it was written in full and distributed, the need for the temporary and incomplete measures would come to an end.<\/p>\n What is evil is when people pretend to have something that they do not. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world<\/em>” (I John 4:1). They are leading people away from the truth to follow after their own vain imaginations.<\/p>\n\t Thanks for your wisdom on Scripture regarding prophecy. I feel I understand better now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: My question is regarding prophecy.\u00a0 It seems I always get the same answer regarding this question (I Corinthians 13:8), “Love never fails, but whether there are prophecies they will fail, tongues will cease, knowledge will vanish,” (not an exact\u00a0quote). But if you take this one verse literally, if prophecies have come to an end,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[428,169],"class_list":["post-9286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit","tag-prophecy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9175,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/didnt-joel-say-that-young-men-would-dream-dreams\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":0},"title":"Didn’t Joel say that young men would dream dreams?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 31, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: You said prophecies would cease, but it also says in the Bible young men will dream dreams and the older would have visions or something along those lines, so I'm really confused. Answer: God said, \"Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86094,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-miracles-still-occurring-because-they-are-not-specifically-listed-as-ending\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":1},"title":"Are miracles still occurring because they are not specifically listed as ending?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Mr. Hamilton, I have a question for you. I know how people believe that miracles have ceased according to 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. But I have a question about that. In those verses, it says: \"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9023,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-the-word-perfect-mean-in-i-corinthians-1310\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":2},"title":"What does the word “perfect” mean in I Corinthians 13:10?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Regarding speaking in tongues, in the verse that says \"when that which is perfect is come,\" what does the word \"perfect\" mean in Greek? Answer: \"Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33192,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-give-me-a-personal-prophecy\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":3},"title":"Can you give me a personal prophecy?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 9, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day I would like to know if you can give me a personal prophecy as I feel so lost the past year and don't know my purpose in life anymore. I am the breadwinner in my family and none of my business deals are going through. Please advise.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86259,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/that-which-is-perfect-does-not-refer-to-the-second-coming-of-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":4},"title":"“That Which Is Perfect” Does Not Refer to the Second Coming of Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dylan Steward via\u00a0Unmasking Sophistry, Vol. 5 No. 2, April-June 2025 Almost all Bible believers agree that 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 teaches that miraculous spiritual gifts will cease \"when that which is perfect is come.\" The problem, however, is disagreement over what is meant by \"that which is perfect.\" Many claim\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25109,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-there-a-non-miraculous-form-of-prophecy\/","url_meta":{"origin":9286,"position":5},"title":"Is there a non-miraculous form of prophecy?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 29, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm having a problem understanding \"prophesying.\" In Romans 12:6 Paul said, \"let us prophesy.\"\u00a0 Is\u00a0I Corinthians 14:3-4 teaching that\u00a0during the days of the early church one form of prophesying was not in a \"miraculous\" sense but rather a \"natural\" ability\u00a0 (cf. Romans 12:4-6)? Answer: In Romans, Paul makes the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9286\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Answer:<\/h2>\n
Response:<\/h2>\n