1 Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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?

1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sting", "death", and "strength". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sting" and "death", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 55's "O death where is thy sting O..." into verse 57's "But thanks be to God which giveth...", so "sting" and "death" belong inside that flow. In 1 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sting" and "death" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.