1 Corinthians 13:12 (YLT)

Passage

for we see now through a mirror obscurely, and then face to face; now I know in part, and then I shall fully know, as also I was known;

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 13:10 and when that which is perfect may come, then that which <FI>is<Fi> in part shall become useless.

1 Corinthians 13:11 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;

1 Corinthians 13:12 for we see now through a mirror obscurely, and then face to face; now I know in part, and then I shall fully know, as also I was known;

1 Corinthians 13:13 and now there doth remain faith, hope, love--these three; and the greatest of these <FI>is<Fi> love.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "through", "mirror", "obscurely", "face", "part", "shall", and "fully". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "through" and "mirror", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "When I was a babe as a..." into verse 13's "and now there doth remain faith hope...", so "through" and "mirror" 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 "through" and "mirror" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.