The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 13:9 Explained

1 Corinthians 13:9

KJV: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

YLT: for in part we know, and in part we prophecy;

Darby: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part:

ASV: For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  we know  in  part,  and  we prophesy  in  part. 

What does 1 Corinthians 13:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

In the meantime, before we see the Lord, our knowledge and prophecy are imperfect in contrast with what they will be when we see Him. Prophecy is imperfect in the sense that revelations and explanations of His mind are only partial, incomplete.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 - The One Essential For All
With what wonder his amanuensis must have looked up, as the Apostle broke into this exquisite sonnet on love! His radiant spirit had caught a glimpse of the living Savior. Jesus sits for His portrait in these glowing sentences, and of Him every clause is true. Substitute His name for love throughout the chapter, and say whether it is not an exact likeness. With Paul love stands for that strong, sustained, and holy subordination of self for others, which begins in will and act and is afterward suffused by emotion, as a cloud lying in the pathway of the rising sun. But if you want the divine love, you must get it after the manner of the bay which opens its bosom to the incoming tide. God is love, and if you would love, you must abide in Him and He in you. Love is better than miracles, gifts, or philanthropy, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Love is the parent of all that is most delightful in the moral sphere, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Love is the best of all, because it is eternal. All else will perish. Our highest attainments will be as the babblings and playthings of childhood. But when we are in touch with the reality of things, love will be all in all. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 13

1  All gifts,
3  however excellent, are of no worth without love
4  The praises thereof,
13  as love is greatest before hope and faith

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 13:9

In part [εκ μερους]
See note on 1 Corinthians 12:27. As opposed to the whole. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 13:9

Romans 11:25 In part [ἀπὸ μέρους]
Μέρος partis never used adverbially in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. In the Epistles it is rarely used in any other way. The only exceptions are 2 Corinthians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:3; Ephesians 4:9, Ephesians 4:16. Paul employs it in several combinations. With ἀπό from(1 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:5), and ἐκ outof (1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Corinthians 13:9, 1 Corinthians 13:10, 1 Corinthians 13:12), in which a thing is conceived as looked at from the part, either ( ἀπὸ ) as a simple point of view, or ( ἐκ ) as a standard according to which the whole is estimated. Thus 1 Corinthians 12:27, “members ἐκ μέρους severallyi.e., members from a part of the whole point of view. Also with ἐν inas Colossians 2:16, with respect to, literally, in the matter of. With ἀνά upthe idea being of a series or column of parts reckoned upward, part by part. Μέρος τι withregard to some part, partly, occurs 1 Corinthians 11:18; and κατὰ μέρος , reckoning part by part downward; according to part, particularly, Hebrews 9:5. Construe here with hath happened: has partially befallen. Not partial hardening, but hardening extending over a part. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Romans 11:25 Wise in your own conceits [εν εαυτοις προνιμοι]
“Wise in yourselves.” Some MSS. read παρ εαυτοις — par' heautois (by yourselves). Negative purpose here Late word from πωροω — pōroō (Romans 11:7). Occurs in Hippocrates as a medical term, only here in N.T. save Mark 3:5; Ephesians 4:18. It means obtuseness of intellectual discernment, mental dulness. In part Goes with the verb γεγονεν — gegonen (has happened in part). For απο μερους — apo merous see note on 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 2:5; Romans 15:24; for ανα μερος — ana meros see note on 1 Corinthians 14:27; for εκ μερους — ek merous see note on 1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Corinthians 13:9; for κατα μερος — kata meros see note on Hebrews 9:5; for μερος τι — meros ti (adverbial accusative) partly see note on 1 Corinthians 11:18. Paul refuses to believe that no more Jews will be saved. Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (αχρι ου το πληρωμα των ετνων εισελτηι — achri hou to plērōma tōn ethnōn eiselthēi). Temporal clause with αχρι ου — achri hou (until which time) and the second aorist active subjunctive of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai to come in (Matthew 7:13, Matthew 7:21). For fulness of the Gentiles (το πληρωμα των ετνων — to plērōma tōn ethnōn) see Romans 11:12, the complement of the Gentiles. [source]
Romans 11:25 In part [απο μερους]
Goes with the verb γεγονεν — gegonen (has happened in part). For απο μερους — apo merous see note on 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 2:5; Romans 15:24; for ανα μερος — ana meros see note on 1 Corinthians 14:27; for εκ μερους — ek merous see note on 1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Corinthians 13:9; for κατα μερος — kata meros see note on Hebrews 9:5; for μερος τι — meros ti (adverbial accusative) partly see note on 1 Corinthians 11:18. Paul refuses to believe that no more Jews will be saved. Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (αχρι ου το πληρωμα των ετνων εισελτηι — achri hou to plērōma tōn ethnōn eiselthēi). Temporal clause with αχρι ου — achri hou (until which time) and the second aorist active subjunctive of εισερχομαι — eiserchomai to come in (Matthew 7:13, Matthew 7:21). For fulness of the Gentiles (το πληρωμα των ετνων — to plērōma tōn ethnōn) see Romans 11:12, the complement of the Gentiles. [source]
1 Corinthians 11:18 When ye come together in the church [συνερχομενων ημων εν εκκλησιαι]
Genitive absolute. Here εκκλησια — ekklēsia has the literal meaning of assembly. Divisions (σχισματα — schismata). Accusative of general reference with the infinitive υπαρχειν — huparchein in indirect discourse. Old word for cleft, rent, from σχιζω — schizō Example in papyri for splinter of wood. See note on 1 Corinthians 1:10. Not yet formal cleavages into two or more organizations, but partisan divisions that showed in the love-feasts and at the Lord‘s Supper. Partly Accusative of extent (to some part) like παντα — panta in 1 Corinthians 10:33. He could have said εκ μερους — ek merous as in 1 Corinthians 13:9. The rumours of strife were so constant (I keep on hearing, ακουω — akouō). [source]
1 Corinthians 11:18 Partly [μερος τι]
Accusative of extent (to some part) like παντα — panta in 1 Corinthians 10:33. He could have said εκ μερους — ek merous as in 1 Corinthians 13:9. The rumours of strife were so constant (I keep on hearing, ακουω — akouō). [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 13:9 mean?

In part for we know and we prophesy
ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ προφητεύομεν

μέρους  part 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: μέρος  
Sense: a part.
γινώσκομεν  we  know 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: γινώσκω  
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
προφητεύομεν  we  prophesy 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: προφητεύω  
Sense: to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict.