1 Corinthians 15:51
in 1 Corinthians 15Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,
KJV
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 15
Commentary
16 notes on this verseYou ask in what sense it was said, and how it should be read in the first letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: "We shall all indeed rise again, but we shall not all be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:5). Or according to some examples: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all indeed be changed," for both are found in Greek manuscripts. Concerning this, Theodore Heracleotes, who was from the city once called Perinthus, spoke in the Apostle's little commentaries: "We shall all indeed not sleep, but we shall all be changed."
This site's exposition
Behold, I shew you a mystery
on 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed: Paul discloses something the Old Testament had not stated, that believers still living at Christ's coming will be transformed without first passing through death. Verse 52 sets the timing in the smallest unit language allows, in a moment, en atomo, the indivisible instant the Greek word gives its name to, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the dead raised incorruptible and the living changed in the same event. This verse anchors the church's hope of being gathered to the Lord at his coming, and the timing of that gathering relative to a coming time of tribulation remains genuinely disputed among faithful readers, pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation positions all finding real support in this and related texts, George Eldon Ladd's post-tribulation reading and John Nelson Darby's pre-tribulation reading among the historic poles the church has argued between without the text itself settling the question.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The pious people will be raised as they transform the remnants of the "old man" that cling to them into the "new man." The impious people who have kept the "old man" from the beginning to the end will be raised in order to be precipitated into the second death. Those who read diligently can make out the divisions of the ages. They have no horror of tares or chaff.
But how shall it be changed, if it shall have no real existence? If, however, this is only said of those who shall be found in the flesh at the advent of God, and who shall have to be changed," what shall they do who will rise first? They will have no substance from which to undergo a change.
For when he adds, "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality," this will assuredly be that house from heaven, with which we so earnestly desire to be clothed upon, whilst groaning in this our present body,-meaning, of course, over this flesh in which we shall be surprised at last; because he says that we are burdened whilst in this tabernacle, which we do not wish indeed to be stripped of, but rather to be in it clothed over, in such a way that mortality may be swallowed up of life, that is, by putting on over us whilst we are transformed that vestiture which is from heaven.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 280 · Written before 458.
proposed
Paul calls this a mystery because it is not clear to everyone but is believed only by the beloved.
Anyone who is not changed in this world cannot experience change in the next.
9 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers2 voices
The radiance of the saints refers to when they will gleam at the resurrection like the angels of God. They will be so cleansed and radiant that they can gaze on the Majesty with the heart's eyes. They cannot gaze on that Light unless they …
"Behold, I tell you a mystery." It is something awful and ineffable and which all know not, which he is about to speak of: which also indicates the greatness of the honor he confers on them; I mean, his speaking mysteries to them. But what is this? "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." He means as follows: "we shall not all die, 'but we shall all be changed,'" even those who die not. For they too are mortal. "Do not thou therefore because thou diest, on this account fear," saith he, "as if thou shouldest not rise again: for there are, there are some who shall even escape this, and yet this suffices them not for that resurrection, but even those bodies which die not must be changed and be transformed into incorruption."
The Medieval Church2 voices
1001. – After responding to the question on the quality of the resurrection, the Apostle then responds to the question which was asked about the mode and order of the resurrection. And concerning this he does two things. First, he shows the mode and order …
Again he returns to the teaching on the resurrection and says that he intends to tell them something fearful and hidden. By this he also shows great respect toward them, inasmuch as he shares mysteries with them. Although, he says, not all will die, yet …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Behold, I show you a mystery,....
He sums up the argument with a very serious exhortation to Christians, to be resolved and diligent in their Lord's service, because they know they shall be so gloriously rewarded by him,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Behold I show you - This commences the third subject of inquiry in the chapter, the question, what will become of those who are alive when the Lord Jesus shall return to raise the dead? This was an obvious inquiry, and the answer was, perhaps, supposed to be difficult. Paul answers it directly, and says that they will undergo an instantaneous change, which will make them like the dead that shall be raised. A mystery - On the meaning of this word, see the note on 1Co 2:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
English Version is supported by some of the oldest manuscripts and Fathers. The Greek is literally "We all shall not sleep, but," &c. The putting off of the corruptible body for an incorruptible by an instantaneous change will, in the case of "the quick," stand as equivalent to death, appointed to all men (Heb 9:27); of this Enoch and Elijah are types and forerunners.
I show you a mystery - That is, a thing which you have never known before. But what is this mystery? Why, that we shall not all sleep; we shall not all die; but we shall all be changed: of this the Jews had not distinct notions. For, as flesh and blood cannot inherit glory, and all shall not be found dead at the day of judgment, then all must be changed - undergo such a change that their bodies may become spiritual, like the bodies of those who shall be raised from the dead.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἰδοὺ | idou | Behold | G2400 → | |
| μυστήριον | musterion | a mystery | G3466 → | 27 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| λέγω· | lego | I tell; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πάντες | pantes | All | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| κοιμηθησόμεθα, | koimethesometha | we will sleep, | G2837 → | 18 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀλλαγησόμεθα | allagesometha | we will be changed — | G236 → |
ἰδοὺBehold
idouG2400 →
μυστήριονa mystery
musterionG3466 →27 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
λέγω·I tell;
legoG3004 →1325 times
πάντεςAll
pantesG3956 →1235 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
κοιμηθησόμεθα,we will sleep,
koimethesomethaG2837 →18 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀλλαγησόμεθαwe will be changed —
allagesomethaG236 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Philippians 3:21who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
it leads to
- 1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as…
- Colossians 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
- 1 Corinthians 15:42–56
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable.
- Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
- 1 John 3:2
Through
1 Corinthians 4:1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:10
As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- 1 Peter 4:10
Through
Ephesians 1:9And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
it leads to
- Colossians 1:26–28
the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.
- Romans 16:25–27
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
- Ephesians 3:3–9
that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
- Colossians 1:26–28
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON TRUE RELIGION 27.50; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 20; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 3; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Letter 119; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 42; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 280; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.