1 Corinthians 15 · Verse 54

1 Corinthians 15:54

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1 Corinthians 15:54, King James Version

1 Corinthians 15:54 in other translations

BSB	When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
WEB	But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
ASV	But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
YLT	and when this corruptible may have put on incorruption, and this mortal may have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, ‘The Death was swallowed up--to victory;
DARBY	But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
BBE	But when this has taken place, then that which was said in the Writings will come true, Death is overcome by life.
Webster	So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

What does 1 Corinthians 15:54 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

54. then--not before. Death has as yet a sting even to the believer, in that his body is to be under its power till the resurrection. But then the sting and power of death shall cease for ever. Death is swallowed up in victory--In Hebrew of Is 25:8, from which it is quoted, "He (Jehovah) will swallow up death in victory"; that is, for ever: as "in victory" often means in Hebrew idiom (Jr 3:5; La 5:20). Christ will swallow it up so altogether victoriously that it shall never more regain its power (compare Ho 6:2; 13:14; 2Co 5:4; He 2:14, 15; Re 20:14; 21:4).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 54. So when, etc. 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 fulfilment; 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 Isa 25:8; and the fact that Paul thus quotes them, and the connexion 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 Seventy, 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. κατεποθη (from καταπινω, to drink down, to swallow down) means to absorb, (Rev 12:16;) to overwhelm, to drown, (Heb 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, ειςνικος. Unto victory; so as to obtain a complete victory. The Hebrew (Isa 25:8) is . The Seventy often render the word , which properly means splendour, purity, trust, perpetuity, eternity, perfection, by νικος, victory, 2Sam 2:26, Job 36:7, Lam 3:18, 5:20, Amos 1:11, 8:7. The Hebrew word here may be rendered either unto the end, i.e., 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.

(e) "is swallowed up" Isa 25:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 54 Death is swallowed up in victory - Κατεποθη ὁ θανατος εις νικος. These words are a quotation from Isa 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 εις νικος, 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 2Sam 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; Lam 5:20; Amo 1:11; Amo 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

All the saints should not die, but all would be changed. In the gospel, many truths, before hidden in mystery, are made known. Death never shall appear in the regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. Therefore let us seek the full assurance of faith and hope, that in the midst of pain, and in the prospect of death, we may think calmly on the horrors of the tomb; assured that our bodies will there sleep…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 →

1 Corinthians 15:54 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.

ὅτανhotanWhenG3752

δὲdenowG1161

τὸto<the>G3588

φθαρτὸνphthartonperishableG5349

τοῦτοtoutothisG3778

ἐνδύσηταιendusētaimay have put onG1746

ἀφθαρσίανaphtharsian[the] imperishableG861

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸto<the>G3588

θνητὸνthnētonmortalG2349

τοῦτοtoutothisG3778

ἐνδύσηταιendusētaimay have put onG1746

ἀθανασίαν,athanasianimmortality,G110

τότεtotethenG5119

γενήσεταιgenēsetaiwill come to passG1096

ὁhotheG3588

λόγοςlogoswordG3056

ὁhowhichG3588

γεγραμμένος·gegrammenoswritten:G1125

κατεπόθηkatepothēHas been swallowed upG2666

ὁho<the>G3588

θάνατοςthanatosdeathG2288

εἰςeisinG1519

νῖκος.nikosvictory.G3534

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 15:54

Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Hebrews 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Luke 20:36
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
2 Corinthians 4:11
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
2 Thessalonians 1:10
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Romans 6:12
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

this mortal.
Ro 2:7; 6:12; 8:11; 2Co 4:11; 2Th 1:10
Death.
Isa 25:8; Lu 20:36; Heb 2:14,15; Re 20:14; 21:4

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

Context

1 Corinthians 15:53
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1 Corinthians 15:54
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:55
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15

1 Corinthians 15:54 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y cuando esto corruptible fuere vestido de incorrupción, y esto mortal fuere vestido de inmortalidad, entonces se efectuará la palabra que está escrita: Sorbida es la muerte con victoria.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or quand ce corruptible aura revêtu l’incorruptibilité, et que ce mortel aura revêtu l’immortalité, alors s’accomplira la parole qui est écrite: « La mort a été engloutie en victoire ».
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn aber dieses Verwesliche Unverweslichkeit anziehen und dieses Sterbliche Unsterblichkeit anziehen wird, dann wird das Wort erfüllt werden, das geschrieben steht: "Verschlungen ist der Tod in Sieg".
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cum autem mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem, tunc fiet sermo, qui scriptus est: Absorpta est mors in victoria.