Verse 2 – And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

A second conditional statement is added (καὶ, “And”) to the first of a series of such clauses (vv.1-3). Again, the class three condition presents matters as hypothetical for the sake of consideration (ἐὰν + subjunctive verb). Three far-ranging extremes of spiritual insight are imagined.

The first that is imagined is “I have prophetic powers” (ἔχω προφητείαν). The noun (προφητεία) can designate the spiritual gift of prophecy (Rom. 12:6), an utterance so spoken (1 Cor. 14:6), predicting future events (Matt. 13:14), or the work of doing so (Rev. 11:6).[1] The translators following the lead of the RSV and NRSV have expanded that interpretively to “prophetic powers” (emphasis added). Others translate as “the gift of prophecy” (NASB, NASU, NKJV, NLT, emphasis added). But it is simply “prophecy” (NET, YLT). It designates “declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; especially by foretelling future events.”[2] Paul pictures a state of affairs where “I have” (ἔχω) such a prophecy. The present tense and the subjunctive mood point to a hypothetical situation considered as a present reality. It is the same verb and form as in verse 1: “have [ἔχω] not love” and that will show up again at the end of this verse and the next. A situation in which one possesses loveless prophecy is in view.

Paul nowhere here directly claims the gift of prophecy, though that seems to be his point in 1 Corinthians 14:19. He views prophecy as the highest of the greater gifts (14:1). He desires it above all other spiritual gifts for the sake of Christ’s body, the church. His reticence to directly claim the gift is in line with his use of the language group. He uses the noun (προφήτης) six times in this letter (12:28, 29; 14:29, 32 [2x], 37). He uses the verb (προφητεύω), however, eleven times (11:4, 5; 13:9; 14:1, 3, 4, 5 [2x], 24, 31, 39). Paul is almost twice as likely to refer to the act of prophesying than he is to designate anyone a prophet. The only place in the NT where someone directly takes to themselves the title is the wicked Jezebel “who calls herself a prophetess” (Rev. 2:20). The point seems, then, to be that one should speak as the Lord leads him to speak, letting the words stand and leaving it to God to prove them true and thus confirm him as a prophet. The imagined point, then, is of an individual who thus speaks from God, apparently genuinely and truly inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so.

To this is added (καὶ, “and”) a second possibility, that one can “understand all mysteries and all knowledge” (εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν). Paul had already told his readers, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries [μυστηρίων] of God” (4:1). He later will announce, “Behold! I tell you a mystery [μυστήριον]” (15:51a). He can say,

We impart a secret [μυστηρίῳ] and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”– these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows [οἶδεν] a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand [εἰδῶμεν] the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (2:7-13)

That which the Apostle supposes is the comprehension of “all mysteries” (τὰ μυστήρια πάντα). Note the definite article. Perhaps it could, thus, be rendered, “all the mysteries.” He is thinking of the whole of all actually existing “mysteries,” things actual, but which reside beyond our understanding. And it is “all” (πάντα) such mysteries that he has in mind. While it is true that Paul and the other apostles were the stewards of God’s mysteries and proclaimed them for the upbuilding of God’s people, and while Paul would later disclose his experience “visions and revelations of the Lord” so profound that they “cannot be told” and which “man may not utter” (2 Cor. 12:1, 4), he would not have claimed to have understood “all” mysteries that lie within the purview of God alone.

To this he adds (καὶ, “and”) the notion of possessing “all knowledge” (πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν). Note, that here again we have a definite article. Paul is imagining someone knowing all that is capable of being known. By the way, note that these expressions imply that not all things are able to be known at this present time and in the present configuration of things (cf. Deut. 29:29). But suppose someone was able to possess full and comprehensive understanding of everything in both categories. What if you encountered an omniscient, but loveless person?

Paul has had a thing or two to say about knowledge throughout this letter. He told his readers that “you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge [γνώσει]” (1:5). He tells them “we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge [γνῶσιν]’ when it comes to “food offered to idols” (8:1a). But, he insists, “This ‘knowledge’ [γνῶσις] puffs up, but love builds up” (v.1b). So, before ever getting to chapter 13 Paul has already set up the notion of knowledge without love. In fact, what happens in such a scenario is that when “not all possess this knowledge [γνῶσις]” “some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled” (8:7). Then he lowers the boom, “And so by your knowledge [γνώσει] this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died” (8:11). This is an example of how loveless knowledge operates. In consequence, they must submit every Spirit-given “utterance of knowledge” (λόγος γνώσεως, 12:8) to the discipline of love.

The Apostles stretches us yet further, adding (καὶ, “and”) to the first two possibilities a third. Suppose that “I have all faith” (ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν). The context tells us that Paul is here thinking not of the saving faith that all must exercise (2:5), but the special gifting of some within the body of Christ which distributes to some “faith by the same Spirit” (12:9). The definite article (τὴν) stresses the particularity of this faith and might be rendered “I have all the faith.” It designates, then, not the fullness of all possible faith, but all the faith required for whatever great thing God demands of you in the moment. It is faith great enough “so as to remove mountains” (ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι) if they stand in the way of God’s will. Surely Jesus’ statements about the power of faith to move mountains are in view here (Matt. 17:20; 21:21). Paul paints a portrait of one who never comes up against an obstacle so big that he does not possess the faith to overcome it in Jesus’ Name.

Line up the suppositions here in verse 2. Imagine someone who possesses not only penetrating insight into every mystery and is able to tap into the infinite storehouses of God’s knowledge and has the ability to articulate it in terms simple enough for any child of God to understand and, along with it, a limitless supply of faith to act wisely upon that insight so as to bring about that which is beyond all human capability. Yet, picture this super-human being as lacking love.

This is precisely what Paul does as he imagines a state of affirms where you have these three superpowers “but have not love” (ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω). This is precisely the same expression as at the end of verse 1 (see our comments there). This time, however, the outcome of the imagined situation is different: “I am nothing” (οὐθέν εἰμι). The first hypothetical results in having “become” (NASU, NKJV, YLT) nothing meaningful. This second states what one then is (εἰμι, “I am”). The present tense here stands in contrast the perfect tense in verse 1. The first declares a state of being (“I have become”), the second a present identity (“I am”).

Paul will later gather up these supernatural realities and inform us that both knowledge and prophecies as presently experienced, even at their best, are incomplete (v.9) and “will pass away” (v.10). Tongues (v.1) along with prophecies and knowledge (v.2) all have a terminus point, but “Love never ends” (v.8).

[1] Friberg, 23632.

[2] Thayer, 4547.