BEARS ALL THINGS: panta stegei, (3SPAI): (1Cor 13:4; Numbers 11:12-14; Deuteronomy 1:9; Proverbs 10:12; Song of Solomon 8:6,7; Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 13:13; 1 Peter 2:24; 4:8)

Keep the Paul's flow of thought in mind...

As discussed below the verb stego has two shades of meaning and thus this verse could mean that love bears all things in the sense that it patiently endures all things or (the meaning I favor for Paul has "endures" at the end of this verse which would be repetitious) that it hides or conceals the faults of others.

It is always ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. (NJB)

She knows how to be silent. She is full of trust, full of hope, full of patient endurance.   (Weymouth)

If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. (TLB)

Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. (CEV)

Love has the power of undergoing all things, having faith in all things, hoping all things. (BBE)

Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. (The Message)

Love enables us to endure everything; it enables us in every circumstance to keep on believing, to keep our confidence in God, and to remain patient no matter what happens to us. (UBS)

(Love) never gives up (GNB)

Note that all four of the main verbs in this verse are present tense indicating these attitudes/actions are to be one's lifestyle, and thus represent a continuous choice we must make. Note however that to make such a choice is impossible for our fallen nature inherited from Adam, but only Him-possible , that is by the strengthening and enablement of Holy Spirit Who indwells every believer. Believers can love only ''according to His power which mightily works within us''. Amen!

Note also that the phrase "all things" is repeated four times for emphasis. In this verse Paul lists four aspects of love, which when taken together, teach us that no matter how desperate our circumstances may be, love never gives up.

Bears (4722) (stego from stege = a thatch or roof or covering of a building) derives its first meaning from stege and thus means to cover closely, to protect by covering and then, to conceal and then, by covering, to bear up under. Note that at the core of its meaning stego denotes an activity or state which blocks entry from without or exit from within. 

Stego occurs in the apocryphal book Sirach 8:17 describing the fool who will not be able to conceal the matter.

Moffatt translates it "slow to expose".

BDAG notes that stego in the Greek papyri was used frequently...

in the sense of covering or enclosing in such a way as to keep something undesirable from coming in, as water into a ship.

Friberg adds that stego means...

strictly put a roof on; hence cover, keep silent about, keep confidential

Vincent writes that stego

keeps out resentment as the ship keeps out the water, or the roof the rain.

W E Vine states that...

the verb stego, to bear, signifies that what is mentioned either supports what is placed upon it, or covers what is placed underneath it. The former idea is prominent in 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1Thessalonians 3:1; 3:5 (notes). The present statement may convey both ideas, for love acts in both ways in bearing all things. That which covers both protects what is covered, by keeping off all that is hostile, and in doing so endures the hostility (cp. 1Cor 9:12). (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

F F Bruce comments that...

Love covers unworthy things rather than bringing them to the light and magnifying them. It puts up with everything. It is always eager to believe the best and to "put the most favorable construction on ambiguous actions." (Bruce, F. F. 1 and 2 Corinthians. New Century Bible Series. 1971)

Robertson and Plummer offer the caveat that even though agape love covers others faults and sins this does not mean...

that a Christian is to allow himself to be fooled by every rogue, or to pretend that he believes that white is black. But in doubtful cases he will prefer being too generous in his conclusions to suspecting another unjustly. (Robertson, A T and Plummer, A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians. International Critical Commentary series. Second ed. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1963)

Love is that beautiful virtue that throws a cloak of silence over what is displeasing in another person. From this meaning one derives the picture of covering things with the cloak of love. In addition, in favor of the intended meaning as covers over, protects, etc is the fact that this translation would eliminate redundancy for the last clause also reads endures all things.

Stego is used only 4 times in the NT...

1 Corinthians 9:12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Thessalonians 3:1 Therefore when we could endure (stego) it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone. (See note 1Thessalonians 3:1)

1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this reason, when I could endure (stego) it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.  (See note 1Thessalonians 3:5) (Comment: As explained above, this does not appear to be Paul's primary intended meaning here in 1Corinthians 13:7)

Spirit controlled and empowered believers love as a lifestyle by choosing as an act of their will (even that choice enabled by the Spirit Ezekiel 36:27, see note Philippians 2:13) to cover over in silence, to ''hide'' the faults of others, to bear with or endure. Love doesn’t broadcast another's problems to everyone. Love doesn’t run down others with jokes, sarcasm or put-downs. Love defends the character of the other person as much as possible within the limits of truth. Love won’t lie about weak nesses, but neither will it deliberately expose and emphasize them. Love protects.

And so instead of becoming embittered (see note Colossians 3:19) the Spirit filled (see note Ephesians 5:18) husband "covers" his wife's faults and frailties. This does not mean one turns grace into licentiousness but that he lives with his wife in an understanding way (see note 1 Peter 3:7)...he gets to know her...he loves her sacrificially and selflessly as Christ loved the church (see note Ephesians 5:25).

Authentic Agape Love continually seeks to cover and protect (NIV ''love always protects'') the object that is loved and for husbands this applies especially to our wives! Love protects other people. It doesn't broadcast bad news. It goes the second mile to protect another person's reputation. Love doesn't point out every flaw of the ones you love.  Love doesn't criticize in public.

Wesley writes that...

Whatever evil the lover of mankind sees, hears, or knows of any one, he mentions it to none; it never goes out of his lips, unless where absolute duty constrains to speak. (Wesley's Notes: First Corinthians)

MacDonald adds that...

 Love does not needlessly publicize the failures of others, though it must be firm in giving godly discipline when necessary. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

Peter made a similar statement in his first epistle exhorting his readers...

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers (kalupto = throws a veil over - continually = present tense)  a multitude of sins. (see note 1 Peter 4:8)

John MacArthur adds that the verb stego...

basically means to cover or to support and therefore to protect. Love bears all things by protecting others from exposure, ridicule, or harm. Genuine love does not gossip or listen to gossip. Even when a sin is certain, love tries to correct it with the least possible hurt and harm to the guilty person. Love never protects sin but is anxious to protect the sinner. Fallen human nature has the opposite inclination. There is perverse pleasure in exposing someone’s faults and failures. As already mentioned, that is what makes gossip appealing. The Corinthians cared little for the feelings or welfare of fellow believers. It was every person for himself. Like the Pharisees, they paid little attention to others, except when those others were failing or sinning. Man’s depravity causes him to rejoice in the depravity of others. It is that depraved pleasure that sells magazines and newspapers that cater to exposes, “true confessions,” and the like. It is the same sort of pleasure that makes children tattle on brothers and sisters. Whether to feel self–righteous by exposing another’s sin or to enjoy that sin vicariously, we all are tempted to take a certain kind of pleasure in the sins of others. Love has no part in that. It does not expose or exploit, gloat or condemn. It bears; it does not bare. (MacArthur, J: 1Corinthians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos)

BELIEVES ALL THINGS: panta pisteuei, (3SPAI): (Psalms 119:66)

Believes (4100) (pisteuo from pistis = faith, trust, belief)

Paul is not saying that love is gullible and believes everything and does not exercise qualities such as wisdom and discernment. What he is saying is that love will believe well of others unless convinced otherwise. It seeks to put the best possible construction on another's words, actions, etc.

In this context believes all things implies that love sees the best in others or gives the other person the benefit of the doubt.

Vine explains the phrase love believes all things...

does not mean that it accepts as true all that is stated. Love is never taken in thus. It is, however, ready to impute the best motives even to one whose act is unkind or detrimental. In bearing with evil conduct, it seeks to avoid undue suspicion. Where there is any element of doubt as to the real intention, love decides to regard it as good and honest. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

Jameison says that this love...

unsuspiciously believes all that is not palpably false, all that it can with a good conscience believe to the credit of another.

 Paul's letter to the Philippians he prays for a love that is discerning, asking that their...

love may abound (excel) still more and more in real knowledge (see study of epignosis) and all discernment (see study of aisthesis) so that you may approve (see study of dokimazo) the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere (see study of eilikrines) and blameless (see study of aproskopos) until the day of Christ (see notes Philippians 1:9; 1:10)

The love that believes has faith in God, Who will work out His divine plans even when all the indicators seem to point in different directions. To "believe all things" means that love believes the best that is possible as long as that can be done. Love gives the benefit of the doubt. It takes people at their highest and best-not at their lowest and worst.

Augustine interprets this as “believing the best” about all people.

Calvin writes that Paul is not saying...

that a Christian…strips himself of wisdom and discernment…not that he has forgotten how to distinguish black from white!”

Pfeiffer writes that this aspect of love is not a sanction to...

does not include gullibility. It means, rather, that the believer is not to be suspicious. If, however, sin is evident, the believer must judge it and support its discipline. From this description of love, it is evident that Moffatt is right in saying, “The lyric is thus a lancet.” (Pfeiffer, C F: Wycliffe Bible Commentary. 1981. Moody or Logos)

The Pulpit Commentary says that the one who believes all things...

Takes the best and kindest views of all men and all circumstances, as long as it is possible to do so. It is the opposite to the common spirit, which drags everything in deteriorem partem, paints it in the darkest colours, and makes the worst of it. Love is entirely alien from the spirit of the cynic, the pessimist, the ecclesiastical rival, the anonymous slanderer, the secret detractor. (The Pulpit Commentary: New Testament; Old Testament; Ages Software  or Logos)

Robertson and Plummer write that...

This does not mean, as Calvin points out, that a Christian is to allow himself to be fooled by every rogue, or to pretend that he believes that white is black. But in doubtful cases he will prefer being too generous in his conclusions to suspecting another unjustly. While he is patient with (στέλει) the mischief which his neighbour undoubtedly does, he credits him with good intentions, which he perhaps does not possess. This characteristic, with the next pair, forms a climax. When Love has no evidence, it believes the best. When the evidence is adverse, it hopes for the best. And when hopes are repeatedly disappointed, it still courageously waits. (Robertson, A., & Plummer, A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the First epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. New York: C. Scribner's Sons. 1911)

Barnes writes that believes all things...

cannot mean that the man who is under the influence of love is a man of universal credulity; that he makes no discrimination in regard to things to be believed; and is as prone to believe a falsehood as the truth; or that he is at no pains to inquire what is true and what is false, what is right and what is wrong. But it must mean, that in regard to the conduct of others, there is a disposition to put the best construction on it; to believe that they may be actuated by good motives, and that they intend no injury; and that there is a willingness to suppose, as far as can be, that what is done is done consistently with friendship, good feeling, and virtue. Love produces this, because it rejoices in the happiness and virtue of others, and will not believe the contrary except on irrefragable evidence.  (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

Cole explains love believes all things this way writing that...

love believes the other person is innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent. If there is a problem, love doesn’t jump immediately to blame the other person. In the family, trust shows itself by not grilling the other per-son about every detail of his story, like an attorney cross-examining a defendant. It means believing in your kids, expressing confidence in them. I’m thankful that my parents trusted me as a teenager; it made me want to live up to that trust. One of my friends had parents who did not trust him, and he lived up to their distrust! Some-times you will get ripped off when you trust, but love persists in trusting.

Barclay writes that...

This characteristic has a twofold aspect. (i) In relation to God it means that love takes God at his word, and can take every promise which begins “Whosoever” and say, “That means me.” (ii) In relation to our fellow men it means that love always believes the best about other people.  (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos)

HOPES ALL THINGS: panta elpizei, (3SPAI): (Luke 7:37-39,44-46; 19:4-10; Romans 8:24)

Hopes  (1679) (elpizo from elpis = hope, conveying as the main element a sense of confidence) (see in depth study of the believer's hope - The Blessed Hope) means to look forward w confidence to that which is good and beneficial. In the present context of interpersonal relationships, it means that the one who loves, looks at the bright side of things and does not despair (and certainly does not convey a sense of despair to the other person). Love is not pessimistic but shows a godly optimism. Supernatural love does not have a negative and critical spirit, but is always positive and hopeful. This love hopes for what is good for another, even when others have ceased to hope.

This aspect of agape love manifests a "Romans 8:28 attitude" in the sense that it earnestly desires that all things work out for the best.

Kistemaker has an interesting note writing about the Christian triad of faith, hope and love explaining that...

Of these three virtues, hope is often the neglected member overshadowed by faith. Nevertheless, when a tripod loses one of its legs, its fall is inevitable. When a Christian nurtures love and faith but neglects hope, he fails and falters in his spiritual life. Paul frequently writes the verb to hope, which appears in his epistles nineteen times out of a total of thirty-one occurrences in the New Testament. Hope is patient, waiting for positive results that eventually may be realized. Hope is the converse of pessimism and the essence of healthy optimism. Hope is never focused on oneself but always on God in Christ Jesus. (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. NT Commentary Set. Baker Book or Logos)

The Pulpit Comment laments that...

Christians seem to have lost sight altogether of the truth that hope is something more than the result of a sanguine temperament, that it is a gift and a grace. Hope is averse to sourness and gloom. It takes sunny and cheerful views of man, of the world, and of God because it is a sister of love. (The Pulpit Commentary: New Testament; Old Testament; Ages Software  or Logos)

Barnes explains hopes all things...

Hopes that all will turn out well. This must also refer to the conduct of others; and it means, that however dark may be appearances; how much soever there may be to produce the fear that others are actuated by improper motives or are bad men, yet that there is a hope that matters may be explained and made clear; that the difficulties may be made to vanish; and that the conduct of others may be made to appear to be fair and pure. Love will hold on to this hope until all possibility of such a result has vanished, and it is compelled to believe that the conduct is not susceptible of a fair explanation. This hope will extend to all things--to words, and actions, and plans; to public and to private intercourse; to what is said and done in our own presence, and to what is said and done in our absence. Love will do this, because it delights in the virtue and happiness of others, and will not credit anything to the contrary unless compelled to do so.  (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

Vine explains the phrase love hopes all things as

love delights to entertain the best expectations. If there is absence of anything to prompt them, the hope is there; if conditions are adverse, love still hopes for the best. Even if the hope meets with repeated disappointment, love waits on expectantly and perseveringly. This is part of love’s endurance. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

MacArthur writes...

I heard the story of a dog who stayed at the airport of a large city for over five years waiting for his master to return. Employees and others fed the dog and took care of him, but he would not leave the spot where he last saw his master. He would not give up hope that someday they would be reunited. If a dog’s love for his master can produce that kind of hope, how much longer should our love make hope last? (MacArthur, J: 1Corinthians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos)

ENDURES ALL THINGS: panta hupomenei. (3SPAI): (1Cor 9:18-22; Genesis 29:20; Job 13:15; Matthew 10:22; 2 Corinthians 11:8-12; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:3-10,24; 3:11; 4:5; James 1:12)

Endures  (5278) (hupomeno from hupo = under + meno = abide, remain) literally means to remain or abide under and figuratively refers to abiding under not simply with stoical resignation, but with a vibrant hope. It describes is not the spirit which can passively bear things, but the spirit which, in bearing them, can conquer and transmute them. The idea is to continue in an activity despite resistance and opposition. Hupomeno (present tense) speaks of perseverance and tenacity in all circumstances. It means to endure in times of pain, suffering, deprivation, hatred, loss, and loneliness.  

To reiterate, this attribute of love means the believer endures patiently and triumphantly and is not passively putting up with the deluge of difficulties. Obviously a love that supernaturally endures like this can only be carried out by a believer who is filled with and strengthened by the Holy Spirit (see notes Ephesians 3:16; Ephesians 5:18).  The suffering which the apostles and early Christians had to endure for the sake of the gospel is eloquent testimony of their authentic, fervent love for God.

In secular Greek hupomeno was a military term used of an army’s holding a vital position at all costs. Every hardship and every suffering was to be endured in order to hold fast. As applied to agape love, Paul is saying that this supernatural love is able to sustain the assaults of an enemy. This love is enabled by the Holy Spirit to endure persecutions in a patient and loving spirit with no desire to retaliate or reject. It remains steadfast in the face of unpleasant circumstances.

As discussed earlier (see notes 1Cor 13:4), hupomeno refers to one’s response toward circumstances, denoting perseverance in the face of difficulties whereas the closely related verb makrothumeo refers to one’s response toward people, denoting a patient endurance of the faults and even provocations of others without retaliating.)

Barnes explains that agape love...

Bears up under, sustains, and does not murmur. Bears up under all persecutions at the hand of man; all efforts to injure the person, property, or reputation; and bears all that may be laid upon us in the providence and by the direct agency of God. Comp. Job 13:15. The connexion requires us to understand it principally of our treatment at the hands of our fellow-men. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

The Pulpit Commentary comments on what is to be endured writing...

Whether the “seventy times seven” offences of a brother (Luke 17:4), or the wrongs of patient merit (see note 2 Timothy 2:24), or the sufferings and self denials and persecutions of the life spent in doing good (see note 2 Timothy 2:10). The reader need hardly be reminded that in these verses he has a picture of the life and character of Christ. (The Pulpit Commentary: New Testament; Old Testament; Ages Software  or Logos)

Thiselton writes that this...

refers to an endurance of setbacks and rebuffs which never gives up on people, whatever they do.  (Thiselton, A. C.  The First Epistle to the Corinthians : A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W. B. Eerdmans)

Robertson and Plummer write that endures all things...

is that cheerful and loyal fortitude which, having done all without apparent success, still stands and endures, whether the ingratitude of friends or the persecution of foes. (Robertson, A., & Plummer, A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the First epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. New York: C. Scribner's Sons. 1911)

Ray Pritchard gets to the heart of the matter asking...

How can we live this way? How can we truly love without envy, without a quick temper, without seeking our own interests, and without thinking evil of others? The answer is, we can't. In ourselves we have no power to live this way. That's why it doesn't work to say, "Let's give it the old college try and really go out there and love everyone we meet." We will never talk ourselves into loving like this, and the sooner we admit that fact, the better off we'll be. This isn't some kind of rah-rah competition where we try to prove our love by our enthusiasm.

Sooner or later we have to get down to the bottom of things and admit the truth. "O God, I hate my husband. I hate my wife. I can't stand my children. My parents are driving me nuts. I hate the people I work with and I don't like the folks at church. I don't love my neighbors and I can barely stand to see my own family. O God, help me. I don't love anyone right now. And even though no one else knows it or sees it, I'm an angry person, filled with bad thoughts and completely lacking in any kind of love. If you don't help me, I will never love anyone because I know I can't change the way I am. Lord God, please help me. Change me. Let your love flow through me. If you want me to love others, you're going to have to do it through me because I can't do it myself." That's the kind of prayer God loves to answer.

I also think it helps to replace "love" with "Jesus" in this passage: "Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind, Jesus does not envy, Jesus thinks no evil, Jesus is not quick-tempered, Jesus does not rejoice in what is evil." If we want to love, we need more of Jesus in our lives. Run to the Cross. Stand there and behold the One who died for you. Look to Jesus. Stand next to Him. Let His love fill your heart. If you will come close to Jesus, His love will begin to fill your heart and you will find yourself filled with supernatural love for others. Your life will begin to change as Jesus becomes preeminent in your heart.

Now as we come to the end, I'd like to give you some homework. Take some time this week to consider the eleven qualities of love in this passage. Think about them one by one. How do you measure up? Where are you strong and where are you weak? Which three qualities stand out as the greatest need in your life right now? Circle those three and begin to pray about them. Write down one practical step you can take in each of those areas this week. And ask God to help you grow strong in love.

There is a second part of this assignment. During December we are slowly climbing toward Bethlehem. On December 25 we will celebrate the supreme expression of God's love-the birth of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like to challenge you to read I Corinthians 13 every day this month. December is a wonderful month to learn about love. If you read these 13 verses 31 times, Paul's words will be tattooed on your soul. And as these words become part of your life, you will find love becoming a daily reality. May God help us to live in love this week. Amen.

Barclay summarizes this section writing that...

One thing remains to be said—when we think of the qualities of this love as Paul portrays them we can see them realized in the life of Jesus himself. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos)

Chafin sums up this description of agape love writing...

Greek: E agape oudepote piptei. (3SPAI) eite de propheteiai,