1 Corinthians 15:51–55
Paul speaks of a mystery: we will be changed and death will be swallowed up
Study it word by word51Look, I tell you a mystery: we will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
52in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
54And when this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the word that is written will come about: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
55Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
In its context
49And just as we bore the image of the one made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly one.
50Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does decay inherit imperishability.
…
56Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
Its words in the original
- μυστήριονmystērion· mystery
Mystery: what was hidden and God makes known.
- λέγωlegō· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- κοιμηθησόμεθαkoimēthēsometha· sleep, fall asleep
Sleep; also die.
- ἀλλαγησόμεθαallagēsometha· change
Change, exchange one thing for another.
- ἀτόμῳatomōi· moment
Moment: an instant that cannot be divided.
- ῥιπῇrhipēi· blink, twinkling
Blink, twinkling: a very quick movement, as of an eye.
- ὀφθαλμοῦophthalmou· eye
Eye.
- ἐσχάτῃeschatēi· last
Last.
- σάλπιγγιsalpingi· trumpet
Trumpet; also the sound of a trumpet.
- σαλπίσειsalpisei· sound a trumpet
Sound a trumpet; announce with a trumpet.
- νεκροὶnekroi· dead
Dead.
- ἐγερθήσονταιegerthēsontai· raise
Raise, wake up; get up; raise from the dead.
- ἄφθαρτοιaphthartoi· imperishable
Imperishable, incorruptible.
- δεῖdei· bind, tie
Bind, tie.
- φθαρτὸνphtharton· perishable
Perishable, corruptible: what decays and dies.
- ἐνδύσασθαιendysasthai· put on, clothe
Dress, put on clothing; be clothed.
- ἀφθαρσίανaphtharsian· incorruption, immortality
Incorruption: what neither decays nor dies, immortality.
- θνητὸνthnēton· mortal
Mortal: subject to death.
- ἀθανασίανathanasian· immortality
Immortality: not being subject to death.
- ὅτανhotan· when, whenever
When, whenever.
- τότεtote· then
Then, at that time.
- γενήσεταιgenēsetai· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- λόγοςlogos· word
Word, saying, message; also reason, cause, account.
- γεγραμμένοςgegrammenos· write
Write. "It is written": that is what the Scriptures say.
- ΚατεπόθηKatepothē· swallow, devour
Swallow, gulp down, devour; swallow up.
- θάνατοςthanatos· death
Death.
- νῖκοςnikos· victory
Victory.
- ποῦpou· where?
Where?
- κέντρονkentron· goad, sting
Goad: a pointed stick for driving oxen; also the sting of an insect.