1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: q flesh and blood r cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. s We shall not all sleep, t but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For u the trumpet will sound, and v the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and w this mortal body must put on immortality.

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
x "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 y "O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and z the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, a who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 b Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in c the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord d your labor is not in vain.

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 16:17
    And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
  2. Cross References
    John 3:3
    Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
    John 3:5
    Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
  3. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 4:15
    For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
    1 Thessalonians 4:17
    Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
  4. Cross References
    Philippians 3:21
    Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
  5. Cross References
    Matthew 24:31
    And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
    1 Thessalonians 4:16
    For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    Isaiah 27:13
    And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
    Zechariah 9:14
    Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.
  6. Cross References
    John 5:25
    Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
    John 5:28
    Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
    Luke 20:36
    For they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
  7. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 5:2 - 4
    For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling.
  8. Cross References
    Isaiah 25:8
    He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
    Hebrews 2:14 - 15
    Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.
    Revelation 20:14
    Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
    Revelation 21:4
    He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
  9. Cross References
    Isaiah 25:8
    He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.
  10. Cross References
    Hosea 13:14
    Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
  11. Cross References
    Romans 4:15
    For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
    Romans 5:13
    For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
    Romans 7:5
    For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
    Romans 7:8
    But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
    Romans 7:13
    Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
  12. Cross References
    Romans 8:37
    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
    1 John 5:4
    For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
  13. Cross References
    2 Peter 3:14
    Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
  14. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 16:10
    When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am.
    Jeremiah 48:10
    Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed.
    John 6:28
    Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?
  15. Cross References
    Galatians 6:9
    And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
    1 Corinthians 3:8
    He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.