1 Corinthians 15:54

Contextual Overview

⁵¹ But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. ⁵¹ Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵¹ Beholde I shewe you a mystery. We shall not all slepe: but we shall all be chaunged ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵¹ Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵¹ But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed. ⁵¹ Look, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵¹ Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵¹ Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

this mortal: Romans 2:7, Romans 6:12, Romans 8:11, 2 Corinthians 4:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:10

Death: Isaiah 25:8, Luke 20:36, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:15, Revelation 20:14, Revelation 21:4

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 17:16 - be swallowed 2 Samuel 20:19 - swallow Job 17:14 - corruption Job 40:10 - glory Psalms 9:6 - destructions Psalms 35:25 - We have Psalms 56:1 - swallow Acts 13:36 - and saw Romans 8:37 - Nay Romans 8:38 - that 1 Corinthians 1:30 - redemption 1 Corinthians 9:25 - but 2 Corinthians 2:7 - swallowed 2 Corinthians 5:2 - clothed 2 Corinthians 5:4 - that mortality Ephesians 4:30 - the day Colossians 3:10 - put 2 Timothy 1:10 - who Hebrews 9:28 - unto Hebrews 11:35 - that they Hebrews 12:23 - the spirits 1 Peter 1:23 - not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,.... As at the coming of Christ, both the bodies of living saints, and of dead ones being raised, will: and this

mortal shall have put on immortality; which will be the case, in the resurrection morn:

then shall be brought to pass that saying that is written; then that passage will have its full accomplishment, which stands in Isaiah 25:8 where it is read,

he will swallow up death in victory, or "for ever". That is, the Messiah shall by his death, and resurrection from the dead, obtain such an entire victory over death, not only for himself, but for all his people, that in the resurrection morn, when they will be all raised from the dead, death will be so swallowed up, that it will be no more: the Jews acknowledge that this prophecy belongs to the times of the Messiah; so they say p, that

"the Messiah shall descend from Pharez, and in his day the holy blessed God will cause death to be swallowed up, as it is said, Isaiah 25:8 "he shall swallow up death in victory":''

and again q,

"when the King Messiah comes, the holy blessed God will raise up those that sleep in the dust, as it is written, he shall swallow up death in victory:''

they also say r, that this passage refers to future time, and to the world to come. The prophet expresses it actively, it being a prediction of what was to be done by the Messiah; the apostle cites it passively, as being accomplished by him after the resurrection, and considered as a part of the song sung by the risen saints; to which is added,

p Shemot Rabba, sect. 20. fol. 131. 4. q Zohar in Gen. fol. 73. 1. r Zohar in, Exod. fol. 108. 1, 2, 4. Misn. Moed Katon. c. 3. sect. 9. Zohar iu Lev. fol. 46. 3. Yade Mose in Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 20. 1. Echa Rabbati, fol. 48. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So when ... - In that future glorious world, when all this shall have been accomplished.

Then shall be brought to pass - Then shall be fully accomplished; these words shall then receive their entire fulfillment; or this event shall meet all that is implied in these words.

The saying that is written - What is written, or the record which is made. These words are quoted from Isaiah 25:8; and the fact that Paul thus quotes them, and the connection in which they stand, prove that they had reference to the times of the gospel, and to the resurrection of the dead. Paul does not quote directly from the Hebrew, or from the Septuagint, but gives the substance of the passage.

Death - Referring here, undoubtedly, to death in the proper sense; death as prostrating the living, and consigning them to the grave.

Is swallowed up - Κατεπόθη Katepothē (from katapinō, to drink down, to swallow down) means to absorb Revelation 12:16; to overwhelm, to drown Hebrews 11:29; and then to destroy or remove. The idea may be taken from a whirlpool, or maelstrom, that absorbs all that comes near it; and the sense is, that he will abolish or remove death; that is, cause it to cease from its ravages and triumphs.

In victory - (εἰς νῖκος eis nikos. Unto victory; so as to obtain a complete victory. The Hebrew Isaiah 25:8 is לנצח laanetsach, The Septuagint often renders the word נצח drow netsach which properly means “splendor, purity, trust, perpetuity, eternity, perfection,” by νῖκος nikos, “victory”; Job 36:7; Lamentations 3:18; Lamentations 5:20; Amos 1:1-15; Amos 2:0; Amos 8:7. The Hebrew word here may be rendered either “unto the end, that is,” to completeness or perfection, or unto victory, with triumph. It matters little which is the meaning, for they both come to the same thing. The idea is, that the power and dominion of death shall be entirely destroyed, or brought to an end.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 54. Death is swallowed up in victory. — Κατεποθη ὁ θανατος εις νικος. These words are a quotation from Isaiah 25:8, where the Hebrew is בלע המות לנצח billa hammaveth lanetsach: He (God) hath swallowed up death in victory; or, for ever. These words in the Septuagint are thus translated: κατεπιεν ὁ θανατος ισχυσας· Death having prevailed, or conquered, hath swallowed up. But in the version of Theodotion, the words are the same with those of the apostle. The Hebrew לנצח lanetsach the Septuagint sometimes translate ειςνικος, in victory, but most commonly εις τελος, for ever; both, as Bishop Pearce observes, in such kind of phrases, signifying the same thing, because eternity conquers all things; and accordingly, in 2 Samuel 2:26, where the Septuagint have μη εις νικος καταφαγεται ἡ ῥομφαια, our English version has, Shall the sword devour FOR EVER? And the same may be seen in Job 36:7; Lamentations 5:20; Amos 1:11; Amos 8:7; from which authority the bishop translates the clause here, Death is swallowed up FOR EVER.

Death is here personified and represented as a devouring being, swallowing up all the generations of men; and by the resurrection of the body and the destruction of the empire of death, God is represented as swallowing him up; or that eternity gulps him down; so that he is endlessly lost and absorbed in its illimitable waste. How glorious a time to the righteous, when the inhabitant shall no more say, I am sick; when God shall have wiped away all tears from off all faces, and when there shall be no more death. This time must come. Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.