1 Corinthians 15 · Verse 50

1 Corinthians 15:50

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1 Corinthians 15:50, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:50 in other translations

BSBNow I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
WEBNow I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable.
ASVNow this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
YLTAnd this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood the reign of God is not able to inherit, nor doth the corruption inherit the incorruption;
DARBYBut this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruptibility.
BBENow I say this, my brothers, that it is not possible for flesh and blood to have a part in the kingdom of God; and death may not have a part in life.
WebsterNow this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

What does 1 Corinthians 15:50 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
50. (See on 1Co 15:37; 1Co 15:39). "Flesh and blood" of the same animal and corruptible nature as our present (1Co 15:44) animal-souled bodies, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore the believer acquiesces gladly in the unrepealed sentence of the holy law, which appoints the death of the present body as the necessary preliminary to the resurrection body of glory. Hence he "dies daily" to the flesh and to the world, as the necessary condition to his regeneration here and hereafter (Joh 3:6; Ga 2:20). As the being born of the flesh constitutes a child of Adam, so the being born of the Spirit constitutes a child of God. cannot--Not merely is the change of body possible, but it is necessary. The spirit extracted from the dregs of wine does not so much differ from them, as the glorified man does from the mortal man [Bengel] of mere animal flesh and blood (Ga 1:16). The resurrection body will be still a body though spiritual, and substantially retaining the personal identity; as is proved by Lu 24:39; Joh 20:27, compared with Php 3:21. the kingdom of God--which is not at all merely animal, but altogether spiritual. Corruption doth not inherit, though it is the way to, incorruption (1Co 15:36, 52, 53).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 50. Now this I say, brethren. "I make this affirmation in regard to this whole subject. I do it as containing the substance of all that I have said. I do it in order to prevent all mistake in regard to the nature of the bodies which shall be raised up." This affirmation is made respecting all the dead and all the living, that there must be a material and important change in regard to them before they can be prepared for heaven. Paul had proved in the previous verses that it was possible for God to give us bodies different from those which we now possess; he here affirms, in the most positive manner, that it was indispensable that we should have bodies different from what we now have.

Flesh and blood. Bodies organized as ours now are. "Flesh and blood" denotes such bodies as we have here--bodies that are fragile, weak, liable to disease, subject to pain and death. They are composed of changing particles; to be repaired and strengthened daily; they are subject to decay, and are wasted away by sickness, and of course they cannot be fitted to a world where there shall be no decay and no death.

Cannot inherit. Cannot be admitted as heir to the kingdom of God. The future world of glory is often represented as an heirship. Rom 8:17.

The kingdom of God. Heaven; appropriately called his kingdom, because he shall reign there in undivided and perfect glory for ever.

Neither doth corruption, etc. Neither can that which is in its nature corruptible, and liable to decay, be adapted to a world where all is incorruptible. The apostle here simply states the fact. He does not tell us why it is impossible. It may be because the mode of communication there is not by the bodily senses; it may be because such bodies as ours would not be fitted to relish the pure and exalted pleasures of an incorruptible world; it may be because they would interfere with the exalted worship, the active service, and the sleepless employments of the heavenly world; it may be because such a body is constituted to derive pleasure from objects which shall not be found in heaven. It is adapted to enjoyment in eating and drinking, and the pleasures of the eye, the ear, the taste, the touch; in heaven the soul shall be awake to more elevated and pure enjoyments than these, and, of course, such bodies as we here have would impede our progress and destroy our comforts, and be ill-adapted to all the employments and enjoyments of that heavenly world.

(c) "flesh and blood" Jn 3:3,5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 50 Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom - This is a Hebrew periphrasis for man, and man in his present state of infirmity and decay. Man, in his present state, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; his nature is not suited to that place; he could not, in his present weak state, endure an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. Therefore, it is necessary that he should die, or be changed; that he should have a celestial body suited to the celestial state. The apostle is certainly not speaking of flesh and blood in a moral sense, to signify corruption of mind and heart; but in a natural sense; as such, flesh and blood cannot inherit glory, for the reasons already assigned.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50

1. How are the dead raised up? that is, by what means? How can they be raised? 2. As to the bodies which shall rise. Will it be with the like shape, and form, and stature, and members, and qualities? The former objection is that of those who opposed the doctrine, the latter of curious doubters. To the first the answer is, This was to be brought about by Divine power; that power which all may see does somewhat like…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 15:35-50 →

1 Corinthians 15:50 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤοῦτοToutoThisG3778
δέdenowG1161
φημι,phēmiI say,G5346
ἀδελφοί,adelphoibrothers,G80
ὅτιhotithatG3754
σὰρξsarxfleshG4561
καὶkaiandG2532
αἷμαhaimabloodG129
βασιλείανbasileian[the] kingdomG932
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316
κληρονομῆσαιklēronomēsaito inheritG2816
οὐounotG3756
δύναται,dunataiis able,G1410
οὐδὲoudenorG3761
ἡhētheG3588
φθορὰphthoradecayG5356
τὴνtēntheG3588
ἀφθαρσίανaphtharsianimmortalityG861
κληρονομεῖ.klēronomeidoes inherit.G2816

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 15:50

  • John 3:3-6

    Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

  • Matthew 16:17

    And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

  • Ephesians 4:17

    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

  • 2 Corinthians 5:1

    For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

  • Galatians 5:16

    This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

  • Galatians 3:17

    And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:13

    Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

  • Colossians 2:4

    And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:12

    Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:6

    But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

  • 1 Corinthians 7:29

    But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
this.
1:12; 7:29; 2Co 9:6; Ga 3:17; 5:16; Eph 4:17; Col 2:4
that.
6:13; Mt 16:17; Joh 3:3-6; 2Co 5:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 15:49

    And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:50

    Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:51

    Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:50 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Esto empero digo, hermanos: que la carne y la sangre no pueden heredar el reino de Dios; ni la corrupción hereda la incorrupción.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or je dis ceci, frères, que la chair et le sang ne peuvent pas hériter du royaume de Dieu, et que la corruption non plus n’hérite pas de l’incorruptibilité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Dies aber sage ich, Brüder, daß Fleisch und Blut das Reich Gottes nicht ererben können, auch die Verwesung nicht die Unverweslichkeit ererbt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hoc autem dico, fratres: quia caro et sanguis regnum Dei possidere non possunt: neque corruptio incorruptelam possidebit.