1 Corinthians 15:54

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, delivers this as the climax of his argument for bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12–58), addressing a community in which some denied that the dead would be raised.

The words — φθαρτόν (phtharton, "perishable") and ἀφθαρσία (aphtharsia, "imperishable") form a privative pair: the second is simply the first with the negating prefix ἀ- attached, making "imperishable" literally "not-decayable."

The thread — The quotation is drawn from Isaiah 25:8 ("He will swallow up death forever"); the same motif recurs in Hebrews 2:14 (death's power broken) and Revelation 20:14 (Death cast into the lake of fire).

Why it lands — The verse is conditional and future-tense: it does not describe a present experience but a declared endpoint, asking the reader to hold mortality as real now and as already sentenced.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
Hebrews 2:14 Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds 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 there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Luke 20:36 In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.
2 Thessalonians 1:10 on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.
Romans 2:7 To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
Romans 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.