1 Corinthians 15:32 (WEB)

Passage

If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”Isaiah 22:13

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 15:30 Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?

1 Corinthians 15:31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1 Corinthians 15:32 If I fought with animals at Ephesus for human purposes, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, then “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”Isaiah 22:13

1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”

1 Corinthians 15:34 Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "purpose", "fought", "animals", "ephesus", "human", "purposes", "does", and "profit". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "purpose" and "fought", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 31's "I affirm by the boasting in you..." into verse 33's "Don t be deceived Evil companionships corrupt...", so "purpose" and "fought" 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 "purpose" and "fought" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.