Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not money, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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 money, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not money, it profiteth me nothing. Money suffereth long, and is kind; money envieth not; money vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ... And now abideth faith, hope, money, these three; but the greatest of these is money.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A parody of religious text replacing charity with money to critique materialism.
- In plain terms
- Money is treated like virtue to show how greed dominates.
- What can you take from it?
- Materialism corrupts even spiritual ideals.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What replaces virtue?
- How do we value things?
Another view
The text is clearly ironic and not literal.
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