1 Corinthians 15:55 (YLT)

Passage

where, O Death, thy sting? where, O Hades, thy victory?'

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 15:53 for it behoveth this corruptible to put on incorruption, and this mortal to put on immortality;

1 Corinthians 15:54 and when this corruptible may have put on incorruption, and this mortal may have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, `The Death was swallowed up--to victory;

1 Corinthians 15:55 where, O Death, thy sting? where, O Hades, thy victory?'

1 Corinthians 15:56 and the sting of the death <FI>is<Fi> the sin, and the power of the sin the law;

1 Corinthians 15:57 and to God--thanks, to Him who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ;

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 54's "and when this corruptible may have put..." into verse 56's "and the sting of the death FI...", so "where" 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 "where" and "death" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.