1 Corinthians 15:56

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

1 Corinthians 15:56 in Other Translations

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

56 It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power.

56 The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law:

56 Sin gives death its sting, and God's standards give sin its power.

56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

56 The sting of death is sin. And the power of sin is the law.

1 Corinthians 15:56 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:56

The sting of death is sin
Death has a sting, and which was originally in it, and that is sin; sin is the cause of death, it is what has given rise and being to it; it entered into the world by it, and is supported in its empire through it; it gives it its resistless power, which reaches to all sorts of persons, young and old, rich and poor, high and low, bond and free; it gives it all its bitterness, agonies, and miseries; and it is by that it does all the hurt and mischief it does; and it may fitly be compared to a sting, for its poisonous and venomous nature:

and the strength of sin is the law;
not that the law of God is sinful, or encourages sin: it forbids it under the severest penalty; but was there no law there would be no sin, nor imputation of it; sin is a transgression of the law: moreover, the strength of sin, its evil nature, and all the dreadful aggravations of it, and sad consequences upon it, are discovered and made known by the law; and also the strength of it is drawn out by it, through the corruption of human nature; which is irritated and provoked the more to sin, through the law's prohibition of it; and this is not the fault of the law, but is owing to the vitiosity of nature; which the more it is forbidden anything, the more desirous it is of it; to which may be added, that sin is the more exceeding sinful, being committed against a known law, and that of the great lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; whose legislative power and authority are slighted and trampled upon by it, which makes the transgression the more heinous; it is the law which binds sin upon a man's conscience, accuses him of it, pronounces him guilty, curses, condemns, and adjudges him to death for it.

1 Corinthians 15:56 In-Context

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Cross References

• 1. S Romans 5:12
• 2. S Romans 4:15