1 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV)

Passage

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "though", "bestow", "goods", "feed", "poor", "give", and "body". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "though" and "bestow", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "And though I have the gift of..." into verse 4's "Charity suffereth long and is kind charity...", so "though" and "bestow" belong inside that flow. In 1 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "though" and "bestow" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.