1 Corinthians 15:55–57

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

📖 Passage Breakdown — 1 Corinthians 15:55–57 — Death Swallowed in Victory

📜 Background, Setting & Purpose

✍️ Author:

The Apostle Paul

👥 Written To:

The church at Corinth—primarily Gentile believers struggling with carnality, division, and confusion about key doctrines.

⏲️ When:

Around AD 55-56

🌍 Setting & Purpose of 1 Corinthians 15:

Paul writes to correct false teaching about the resurrection. Some at Corinth were denying a future bodily resurrection (v. 12). Paul systematically lays out the centrality of Christ’s resurrection, the future resurrection of believers, and the victory over death that comes through Christ alone.

Verses 55–57 form a climactic declaration—a shout of triumph. It’s the victory cry for all who are in Christ, made possible through the cross and confirmed by His resurrection. Paul draws from Old Testament prophecy and reveals its fulfillment through the gospel of grace.

🔍 1 Corinthians 15:55–57

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

✨ Phrase-by-Phrase Breakdown

“O Death, where is your sting?”

• Paul taunts death. Why? Because for the believer, death has lost its power. 
• “Sting” (Gr. kentron) refers to a venomous sting or weapon—a deadly threat. 
• Through Christ, death is not the end, but a gateway to eternal life. 

“O Hades, where is your victory?”

• “Hades” refers to the grave—the temporary holding place of the dead. 
• Paul declares that the grave no longer wins. It cannot keep those who are in Christ. 
• This is a bold proclamation that Christ has defeated the power of the grave (see John 11:25–26). 

📖 Paul is quoting from Hosea 13:14—but not in its original tone of judgment, rather in triumph through the resurrection. This shows how Christ has turned judgment into victory for the believer.

“The sting of death is sin…”

• Death gets its deadly power from sin. 
• Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death…” 
• Without sin, death has no claim. But all have sinned, so all face death—unless that sin is dealt with. 

“…and the strength of sin is the law.”

• The law doesn’t remove sin—it exposes and magnifies it (Romans 3:20; 7:7). 
• It demands perfection, but gives no power to meet that demand. 
• The law strengthens sin in that it makes us aware of how utterly sinful we are—yet offers no solution. 

⚖️ Paul draws a direct line: Law → Sin → Death
Only the cross breaks this chain, because Christ fulfilled the law, bore our sin, and conquered death.

“But thanks be to God…”

• Paul pivots from doctrine to doxology—from explaining truth to praising God. 
• The believer’s response to the gospel should always be gratitude. 

“…who gives us the victory…”

• It’s not earned. It’s given. 
• Victory over sin, law, and death comes by grace, not performance. 
• This is present tense—believers already possess victory through faith in Christ. 

“…through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• The source of all victory is Jesus—His death, burial, and resurrection (vv. 1–4). 
• Not through the law, religion, or human effort—but through Him alone. 

❌ What This Passage Does Not Mean

• It does not teach universal salvation—only those in Christ share this victory. 
• It does not deny the reality of physical death, but reveals its defeat and limitation. 
• It does not support triumphalism (arrogant) or a pain-free Christian life. 

✅ What It Does Mean

• Christ’s resurrection has removed death’s sting for the believer. 
• The law condemned, but Christ fulfilled it. 
• Our sin was judged at the cross. 
• Victory is a gift, not a reward. 
• The resurrection is not just a doctrine—it’s a daily hope. 

🙏 Summary

For the believer, death has no sting, no fear, and no lasting claim.

Why? Because Jesus took the sting of death upon Himself. He fulfilled the righteous demands of the law, bore our sin, and rose again—declaring victory for all who believe.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This isn’t future tense—it’s now.

Every time you battle fear, temptation, or despair, remember: You are fighting from a position victory—not for it.