1 Corinthians 15:53 (DBY)

Passage

For this corruptible must needs put on incorruptibility, and this mortal put on immortality.

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed,

1 Corinthians 15:52 in an instant, in [the] twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and *we* shall be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must needs put on incorruptibility, and this mortal put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the word written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "corruptible", "must", "needs", "incorruptibility", "mortal", and "immortality". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "corruptible" and "must", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 52's "in an instant in the twinkling of..." into verse 54's "But when this corruptible shall have put...", so "corruptible" and "must" 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 "corruptible" and "must" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.