1 Corinthians 15:56 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 15:54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?

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

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

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sting", "death", and "power". 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 victory O..." into verse 57's "but thanks be to God who 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.