What does it mean that tongues will cease (1 Corinthians 13:8)?

TL;DR:

Paul’s statement that “tongues will cease” in 1 Corinthians 13:8 emphasizes that spiritual gifts are temporary but that love is eternal and essential. Rather than focusing on which gifts are greater, believers are called to use whatever gift they have with love to build up the body of Christ.

what does the bible say?

Paul’s point by saying that tongues would cease was not to provide a timeline of when they would end. Rather, he was concerned because the Corinthians were pursuing what they considered to be better gifts, like tongues, without any love or concern for other believers. By saying that they cease, Paul was highlighting how much more important love is than any particular gift. Indeed, he even theorized that if he could speak the best of best languages (that of angels) then that great gift would be harmful if he exercised it without loving the other members of the body of Christ. To make his argument that love is superior, Paul said that love, unlike those special gifts, would never end. The focus on this passage, then, is not on when tongues cease but that we must love other believers by exercising whatever gift the Spirit gives us for their benefit.

from the old testament

The statement about tongues ceasing is only found in the New Testament. But the importance of loving others is found throughout the Old Testament, in passages such as Exodus 23:4-5, Leviticus 19:9 and 19:18, and Deuteronomy 10:18-19.

from the new testament

First Corinthians 13:8 reads, “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” This scripture is within a larger argument about the Corinthians pursuing spiritual gifts for the wrong reasons (1 Corinthians 12–14). The reason God gave the gifts was not so that individuals might be elevated in the church. Instead, all gifts—even the desirable ones—were for the “common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
A significant part of Jesus’ ministry was about the importance of love for others. Some examples of passages that show this are Matthew 22:39, Matthew 25:31-46, John 13:34-35, and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin is the ultimate expression of love (John 3:16).

implications for today

Today, the question of whether or not the gift of tongues still exists can be contentious among Christians. It has led Christians to divide into two camps, with some even disparaging those with the other view.

Despite Paul’s focus on love, because of his comment about tongues ceasing, Christians have tried to make educated guesses as to when that would happen. All note that Paul says that they will end “when the perfect comes” (1 Corinthians 13:10). But when is (or was) that? One group of Christians, known as continuationists, believe the “perfect” is the end of time, when Jesus returns; thus, they believe gifts like tongues are still continuing in the church today. Another group, the cessationists, believe the “perfect” is when the Bible was completed, being the completion of revelation. Thus, they believe miraculous gifts like tongues have already ceased.

Using 1 Corinthians 13:8 to fight for continuationism or cessationism is somewhat ironic given that Paul’s point was to focus on loving one another, not on gifts, as love is the one thing that will never end.

It is certainly healthy for the church to wrestle with Scripture to make sure we understand God’s Word correctly, but we must also strive to love our brethren who disagree with our conclusions. What unifies us is what makes us Christians: the Gospel (Philippians 1:27). Indeed, that is why we are to love one another. Jesus said that it is our love for one another that will show the world that we are His disciples (John 13:34-35). Therefore, while we may not fully understand what the “perfect” is and whether tongues have ceased, we do know that every gift the Spirit gives us is not for our benefit but for us to share with the rest of the church by serving it in love.

understand

Paul’s main point in saying that tongues will cease is that love is eternal and superior to spiritual gifts, which are temporary.
The Corinthians were wrongly prioritizing showy gifts like tongues instead of using their God-given gifts with love to build up the church.
The question of when tongues will cease is less important than Paul’s true focus: that believers must act in love, regardless of their view on spiritual gifts.

reflect

How have you been tempted to value certain spiritual gifts over others, and how might that affect your relationships in the church?
How are you currently using the gifts God has given you to build up others in love?
How can you remind yourself this week that love—not talent or giftedness—is what matters most in your service to others?

engage

What are the possible reasons why Paul might have emphasized love over spiritual gifts when writing to the Corinthians, and how might his message challenge how we view giftedness today?
What are the different views Christians hold about when tongues will cease—and how can we engage those conversations with grace and unity, remembering that this passage is ultimately about prioritizing love over spiritual gifts?
What would it look like in our community if we truly valued every spiritual gift equally and used them with love for the common good?