1 Corinthians 15:51
New International Version
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

New Living Translation
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!

English Standard Version
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Berean Standard Bible
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

Berean Literal Bible
Behold, I tell to you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--

King James Bible
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

New King James Version
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—

New American Standard Bible
Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

NASB 1995
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

NASB 1977
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

Amplified Bible
Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed],

Christian Standard Bible
Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Listen! I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,

American Standard Version
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Contemporary English Version
I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed.

English Revised Version
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I'm telling you a mystery. Not all of us will die, but we will all be changed.

International Standard Version
Let me tell you a secret. Not all of us will die, but all of us will be changed—

Majority Standard Bible
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed?

NET Bible
Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--

New Heart English Bible
Look, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Weymouth New Testament
I tell you a truth hitherto kept secret: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

World English Bible
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, I tell you a secret: we indeed will not all sleep, but we will all be changed;

Berean Literal Bible
Behold, I tell to you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--

Young's Literal Translation
lo, I tell you a secret; we indeed shall not all sleep, and we all shall be changed;

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold, I speak to you a mystery; We truly shall not all be laid asleep, but we shall all be changed,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall all indeed rise again: but we shall not all be changed.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, I tell you a mystery. Certainly, we shall all rise again, but we shall not all be transformed:

New American Bible
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,

New Revised Standard Version
Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be transformed,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Behold, I declare to you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

Godbey New Testament
Behold, I speak to you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Haweis New Testament
Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not indeed all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Mace New Testament
I shall now tell you a very great secret: we shall not all of us sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Weymouth New Testament
I tell you a truth hitherto kept secret: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Worrell New Testament
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Worsley New Testament
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Where, O Death, is Your Victory?
50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.…

Cross References
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. / After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

Philippians 3:20-21
But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, / who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”

Daniel 12:2
And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Isaiah 26:19
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.

Ezekiel 37:12-14
Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. / Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. / I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’”

Job 19:25-27
But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. / Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. / I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!

John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice / and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Luke 20:35-36
But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. / In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.

2 Corinthians 5:1-4
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. / For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, / because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ...

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Revelation 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. / The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

I shew.

1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

1 Corinthians 13:2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

We shall not.

1 Corinthians 15:6,18,20
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep…

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him…

changed.

Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

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Asleep Changed Death Fall Hitherto Kept Mystery Revelation Secret Shew Show Sleep Truth
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Asleep Changed Death Fall Hitherto Kept Mystery Revelation Secret Shew Show Sleep Truth
1 Corinthians 15
1. By Christ's resurrection,
12. he proves the necessity of our resurrection,
16. against all such as deny the resurrection of the body.
21. The fruit,
35. and the manner thereof;
51. and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day.














Listen
The Greek word used here is "ἰδοὺ" (idou), which is often translated as "behold" or "see." It is a call to attention, urging the reader or listener to focus on the profound truth that is about to be revealed. In the context of Paul's letter, it serves as an invitation to the Corinthian believers to pay close attention to the divine revelation he is about to share. This word underscores the importance of the message and the need for spiritual attentiveness.

I tell you
The phrase "I tell you" is a direct communication from Paul, emphasizing his role as an apostle and a messenger of God's truth. The Greek verb "λέγω" (legō) implies a declaration or proclamation. Paul is not merely sharing an opinion but is conveying a truth that has been divinely revealed to him. This phrase highlights the authority with which Paul speaks, rooted in his apostolic calling and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

a mystery
The term "mystery" comes from the Greek word "μυστήριον" (mystērion), which refers to a sacred secret that was once hidden but is now revealed. In the New Testament, a mystery often pertains to God's redemptive plan, which was previously concealed but is now made known through Christ. Here, Paul is unveiling a truth about the end times and the transformation of believers, a concept that was not fully understood in the Old Testament but is now disclosed through the gospel.

We will not all sleep
The word "sleep" is a euphemism for death, derived from the Greek "κοιμάομαι" (koimaomai). This metaphor reflects the Christian understanding of death as temporary and peaceful, akin to sleep, with the assurance of awakening in the resurrection. Paul is revealing that not all believers will experience physical death before the return of Christ, indicating the possibility of being alive at His coming. This statement provides hope and assurance of continuity of life for those in Christ.

but we will all be changed
The phrase "we will all be changed" uses the Greek verb "ἀλλαγησόμεθα" (allagēsometha), meaning to be transformed or altered. This transformation refers to the glorification of believers' bodies at the resurrection, a change from mortality to immortality. It is a promise of complete renewal and perfection, aligning with the hope of eternal life. This change is universal for all believers, whether they have died or are still living at Christ's return, emphasizing the inclusivity and certainty of God's redemptive work.

(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery.--It is better to take these words as referring to what follows rather than (as some have done) to the preceding statement. A mystery means something which up to this time has been kept concealed, but is now made manifest (Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:3-5).

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be Changed.--There are here a considerable variety of readings in the Greek, but the text from which our English version is taken is probably correct. The Apostle believed that the end of the world might come in the lifetime of some then living. We shall not all, he says, necessarily sleep, but we shall all be changed. The change from the earthly to the spiritual body is absolutely necessary. To some it will come through the ordinary process of death; to those who are alive at Christ's advent it will come suddenly, and in a moment. The dead shall be raised, but we (the living) shall be changed.

Verse 51. - I show you a mystery. I make known to you a truth now made known to me by revelation. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. There is a great diversity of readings in this verse, noticed even by St. Jerome and St. Augustine. St. Jerome says that all the Latin manuscripts had "we shall all rise," and that the Greek manuscripts wavered between "we shall all sleep" and "we shall not all sleep." Some Greek manuscripts had "we shall all rise, but we shall not all be changed." This reading cannot be right, for it contradicts the next verse. There is little doubt that the reading of the Authorized version is right. It accounts for all the variations. They arose from a desire to shelter St. Paul from an apparent mistake, since he and his readers did all sleep. But

(1) St. Paul may have written under that conception of the imminence of Christ's personal return which he expresses in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, where he evidently imagines that the majority of those to whom he was writing would be of those who would be "alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord;" or

(2) even if he no longer entertained that expectation, the "we" may naturally apply to the continuity of the Christian Church. For in 2 Corinthians 4:14 he uses "us" of those who shall die and be raised. The universal expectation of the immediate return of Christ in the first century rose

(1) from their non apprehension of the truth that the close of the old dispensation was the "coming" to which our Lord had primarily referred in his great eschatological discourse (Matthew 24:34), and . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Listen,
Ἰδοὺ (Idou)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400: See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

a mystery:
μυστήριον (mystērion)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3466: From a derivative of muo; a secret or 'mystery'.

{We will} not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

all
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

sleep,
κοιμηθησόμεθα (koimēthēsometha)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2837: From keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. to slumber; figuratively, to decease.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

we will all be changed—
ἀλλαγησόμεθα (allagēsometha)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 236: To change, alter, exchange, transform. From allos; to make different.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold I tell you a mystery (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 15:50
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