1 Corinthians 13:11
New International Version
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

New Living Translation
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

English Standard Version
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

Berean Standard Bible
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.

Berean Literal Bible
When I was a child, I was speaking like a child, I was thinking like a child, I was reasoning like a child; when I became a man, I did away with the things of the child.

King James Bible
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

NASB 1995
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

NASB 1977
When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

Legacy Standard Bible
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things.

Amplified Bible
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

Christian Standard Bible
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.

American Standard Version
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

Contemporary English Version
When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways.

English Revised Version
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways.

Good News Translation
When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.

International Standard Version
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways.

Majority Standard Bible
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.

NET Bible
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways.

New Heart English Bible
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become an adult, I have put away childish things.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
When I was a child, I talked like a child, felt like a child, reasoned like a child: when I became a man, I put from me childish ways.

World English Bible
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
When I was a child, I was speaking as a child, I was thinking as a child, I was reasoning as a child, and when I have become a man, I have made useless the things of the child;

Berean Literal Bible
When I was a child, I was speaking like a child, I was thinking like a child, I was reasoning like a child; when I became a man, I did away with the things of the child.

Young's Literal Translation
When I was a babe, as a babe I was speaking, as a babe I was thinking, as a babe I was reasoning, and when I have become a man, I have made useless the things of the babe;

Smith's Literal Translation
When I was a child, as a child I spake, as a child I thought, as a child I reckoned: and when I had become a man, I left unemployed the things of a child.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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 the things of a child.

Catholic Public Domain Version
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child. But when I became a man, I put aside the things of a child.

New American Bible
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.

New Revised Standard Version
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
When I was a child, I was speaking as a child, I was led as a child, I was thinking as a child, but when I became a man, I ceased these childish things.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I had the mind of a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Godbey New Testament
When I was an infant, I talked like an infant, I thought like an infant, I reasoned like an infant: when I became a man, I put away the things of the infant.

Haweis New Testament
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child: but when I grew a man, I put away childish things.

Mace New Testament
when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child: but when I became a man, I laid aside my childish ways.

Weymouth New Testament
When I was a child, I talked like a child, felt like a child, reasoned like a child: when I became a man, I put from me childish ways.

Worrell New Testament
When I was a child, I was wont to talk as a child, to think as a child, to reason as a child; since I have become a man, I have done away with the things of the child;

Worsley New Testament
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned as a child: but when I became a man, I laid aside childish things.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love
10but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.…

Cross References
Ephesians 4:14
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

Hebrews 5:12-14
Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! / For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. / But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Philippians 3:15
All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.

Galatians 4:1-3
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. / He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father. / So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Romans 8:5-6
Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. / The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,

Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

James 1:4
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Isaiah 28:9
Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?

Ecclesiastes 11:10
So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.

Psalm 131:2
Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Job 32:7-9
I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom. / But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. / It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

I spake.

1 Corinthians 3:1,2
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ…

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Ecclesiastes 11:10
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

thought.

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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.














When I was a child
This phrase introduces the metaphor of spiritual immaturity. In biblical times, childhood was a period of learning and growth, often marked by a lack of understanding and experience. The Apostle Paul uses this imagery to describe the early stages of spiritual development. In Jewish culture, a child was not held to the same standards as an adult, reflecting a time of innocence and limited responsibility. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of growth and maturity in faith, as seen in Hebrews 5:12-14, where believers are encouraged to move beyond spiritual infancy.

I talked like a child
Speech is a primary indicator of maturity. In the ancient world, a child's speech was simple and often self-centered, lacking the depth and wisdom expected of an adult. This reflects the early Christian's understanding of spiritual truths, which may be superficial or incomplete. James 3:2 highlights the importance of mature speech as a sign of spiritual growth, emphasizing the need for believers to control their tongues as they mature in faith.

I thought like a child
Thinking like a child suggests a limited understanding and perspective. In the Greco-Roman context, children were not expected to engage in complex reasoning or decision-making. This phrase underscores the need for believers to develop a mature understanding of God's will and purpose. Romans 12:2 calls for the renewal of the mind, urging Christians to move beyond childish thinking to discern God's perfect will.

I reasoned like a child
Reasoning involves the ability to process information and make judgments. In the biblical context, a child's reasoning is often simplistic and self-focused. Paul contrasts this with the mature reasoning expected of believers, who are called to discern spiritual truths and apply them wisely. This echoes 1 Corinthians 14:20, where Paul urges the church to be mature in their thinking, avoiding the pitfalls of childish reasoning.

When I became a man
This phrase marks the transition from spiritual infancy to maturity. In Jewish tradition, reaching adulthood was a significant milestone, often marked by a bar mitzvah, symbolizing the assumption of religious and moral responsibilities. Paul uses this cultural understanding to illustrate the believer's journey toward spiritual maturity, where one takes on the full responsibilities of faith and discipleship.

I set aside childish ways
Setting aside childish ways signifies a deliberate choice to embrace maturity. In the early church, this meant moving beyond elementary teachings and embracing the deeper truths of the gospel. Ephesians 4:14-15 encourages believers to grow in every way into Christ, leaving behind the instability of spiritual childhood. This transformation is a key aspect of Christian discipleship, reflecting the call to become more like Christ in character and conduct.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, providing guidance on spiritual maturity and love.

2. Corinth
A major city in ancient Greece, known for its diverse population and moral challenges, which Paul addresses in his letters.

3. The Corinthian Church
The recipients of Paul's letter, struggling with issues of division, immorality, and spiritual immaturity.
Teaching Points
Spiritual Maturity
Paul emphasizes the importance of growing in faith and understanding, moving beyond immature ways of thinking and behaving.

Transformation in Christ
The transition from childhood to adulthood in faith signifies a transformation that should be evident in our actions and thoughts.

Setting Aside Childish Ways
Believers are called to examine their lives for areas where immaturity persists and to actively pursue growth and maturity in Christ.

The Role of Love in Maturity
In the context of 1 Corinthians 13, love is the ultimate expression of spiritual maturity, guiding our actions and interactions with others.

Continuous Growth
Spiritual maturity is a lifelong journey, requiring continual learning, reflection, and application of God's Word.(11) When I was a child.--The natural childhood and manhood of this life are analogous to the spiritual childhood of this life and the spiritual manhood of the life to come.

I understood as a child, I thought as a child.--The first word expresses mere simple apprehension, the second word implies active intellectual exertion. It has been suggested that the three words here used refer back respectively to the gifts previously mentioned. "I spoke" corresponds to the "tongues," "understood" to the "prophecy," and "I reasoned" to the "knowledge." Without intending any such very definite correspondence of these three expressions, the Apostle probably naturally made the points of analogy correspond in number with what they were intended to illustrate.

But when I became a man.--Better, but now that I have become a man I have given up the ways of a child. The point brought out is his present state as a man, and not, as the English version might seem to imply, some fixed point of transition in his past history. The contrast he seeks to make clear is between two states of life.

Verse 11. - I understood as a child, I thought as a child; I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things; now that I am become a man, I have done away with childish things. No specific time at which he put away childish things is alluded to, but he means that "manhood" is a state in which childishness should have become impossible.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
When
Ὅτε (Hote)
Adverb
Strong's 3753: When, at which time. From hos and te; at which too, i.e. When.

I was
ἤμην (ēmēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

a child,
νήπιος (nēpios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3516: From an obsolete particle ne- and epos; not speaking, i.e. An infant; figuratively, a simple-minded person, an immature Christian.

I talked
ἐλάλουν (elaloun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

a child,
νήπιος (nēpios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3516: From an obsolete particle ne- and epos; not speaking, i.e. An infant; figuratively, a simple-minded person, an immature Christian.

I thought
ἐφρόνουν (ephronoun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 5426: (a) I think, (b) I think, judge, (c) I direct the mind to, seek for, (d) I observe, (e) I care for.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

a child,
νήπιος (nēpios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3516: From an obsolete particle ne- and epos; not speaking, i.e. An infant; figuratively, a simple-minded person, an immature Christian.

I reasoned
ἐλογιζόμην (elogizomēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3049: To reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

a child.
νήπιος (nēpios)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3516: From an obsolete particle ne- and epos; not speaking, i.e. An infant; figuratively, a simple-minded person, an immature Christian.

When
ὅτε (hote)
Adverb
Strong's 3753: When, at which time. From hos and te; at which too, i.e. When.

I became
γέγονα (gegona)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

a man,
ἀνήρ (anēr)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

I set aside
κατήργηκα (katērgēka)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2673: From kata and argeo; to be entirely idle, literally or figuratively.

childish ways.
νηπίου (nēpiou)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3516: From an obsolete particle ne- and epos; not speaking, i.e. An infant; figuratively, a simple-minded person, an immature Christian.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child I spoke (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 13:10
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