Free Bible lesson for kids · Letters to the Churches
Love Is Patient and Kind
Paul wrote that without love, even great gifts are nothing. Love (charity) is patient and kind, it does not envy or boast, and it never fails.
- Bible passage
- 1 Corinthians 13
- Big idea
- Love is the greatest gift.
- Memory verse
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about love. The King James Bible calls it “charity.” He said that if he could speak with the tongues of men and angels but had no love, he would be like “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Even faith that could move mountains, or giving everything to feed the poor, is worth nothing without love (1 Corinthians 13:2–3).
Paul told what love is like. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind.” Love does not envy, brag, or act proud (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love is not selfish or quick to get angry, and it is glad about the truth (1 Corinthians 13:5–6). Love bears all things and hopes all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). Many gifts will end one day, but “Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8). Faith, hope and love remain, “but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Read it in the Bible: 1 Corinthians 13 (KJV)
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When 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. 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Questions to ask
What word does the King James Bible use for love in 1 Corinthians 13?
Charity.
Name two things love does.
It suffers long, is kind, rejoices in the truth, bears all things…
Which is the greatest of faith, hope and charity?
Charity (love).
What this story teaches
- Without love, even great gifts are worth nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).
- Love is patient and kind to others (1 Corinthians 13:4).
- Love does not brag or think only of itself (1 Corinthians 13:4–5).
- Love is glad about what is true, not what is wrong (1 Corinthians 13:6).
- Love never fails; it is the greatest of all (1 Corinthians 13:8, 13).
Jesus Shows Us True Love
Jesus showed us what real love is. He laid down His life for us, and now we can love others the way He loved us.
1 John 3:16
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us love like He loves. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Love is the greatest gift.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say 1 Corinthians 13:4 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes
Love Is… Charades
You need: Cards: patient, kind, not proud, shares, not easily angry, forgives
- A child draws a card and acts out a quick scene showing it, like waiting your turn for the swing.
- The group guesses which part of love it is.
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 together at the end.
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind.” Real love looks like these things every day.
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 15 minutes
The Love Chapter Challenge
You need: Index cards with the qualities from 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
- Each day this week, practice one quality of love: patience on Monday, kindness on Tuesday…
- Check in on the group chat each night with one sentence.
- Share stories next week.
Without love, even great gifts are nothing. “Charity never faileth.”
Pray
Ask God to help us love like He loves.