1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most famous chapters in the Bible. Known as “The Love Chapter,” this 13 verse treatise on love from Paul to the church in Corinth has been the subject of countless sermons, the text at many a wedding, and even featured in songs and Presidential speeches. With quick, punchy sentences, the text is easily memorized and quite dramatic when spoken aloud. It is, in sum, a rhetorical masterpiece. 

 

Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. It does not dishonor other people. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people’s wrongs. Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken. It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIrV) 

 

Love is takes the text above and places it within the beautiful artwork of award-winning Columbian illustrator Paola Escobar. Escobar’s work is magnificent, telling a silent story unto itself. The first panels depict a tiny plant just emerging from the ground, but it grows and grows. Animals big and small come to it for nourishment and safety as the seasons change and the world moves ever onward. Things change, but the tree continues to grow and grow, a constant amid all the uncertainty. Not even a forest fire can take it down. It’s a beautifully and elegantly told story unto itself and captures the nature of love with both abstract generality and concrete specificity. It's absolutely incredible. 

 

The text of the book is taken from the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV), an official adaptation of the very popular NIV meant for English learners and young readers that is at about a third-grade level. The NIrV is my personal go-to for teaching young children and its translation of this passage grasps the truth of the text in a very simple and easy to understand way. 

 

Whether you simply want your kids to reflect on the text or memorize it, Love is is a beautiful way of presenting this portion of Scripture. Absolutely magnificent.