The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:51 Explained

1 Corinthians 15:51

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

YLT: lo, I tell you a secret; we indeed shall not all sleep, and we all shall be changed;

Darby: Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed,

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Corinthians 15:51 Mean?

Study Notes

mystery
.
mysteries
A "mystery" in Scripture is a previously hidden truth, now divinely revealed; but in which a supernatural element still remains despite the revelation. The greater mysteries are:
(1) The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven Matthew 13:3-50 .
(2) the mystery of Israel's blindness during this age Romans 11:25 (with context);
(3) the mystery of the translation of living saints at the end of this age 1 Corinthians 15:51 ; 1 Corinthians 15:52 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 .
(4) the mystery of N.T. church as one body composed of Jew and Gentile Ephesians 3:1-11 ; Romans 16:25 ; Ephesians 6:19 ; Colossians 4:3 .
(5) the mystery of the church as the bride of Christ Ephesians 5:28-32 .
(6) the mystery of the inliving Christ Galatians 2:20 ; Colossians 1:26 ; Colossians 1:27 .
(7) the "mystery of God even Christ," i.e. Christ as the incarnate fullness of the Godhead embodied, in whom all the divine wisdom for man subsists Colossians 2:2 ; Colossians 2:9 ; 1 Corinthians 2:7 .
(8) the mystery of the processes by which godlikeness is restored to man 1 Timothy 3:16 .
(9) the mystery of iniquity 2 Thessalonians 2:7 ; Matthew 13:33 .
(10) the mystery of the seven stars Revelation 1:20 .
(11) the mystery of Babylon Revelation 17:5 ; Revelation 17:7 .
kingdom (See Scofield " Matthew 3:2 ") .

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 15:42-58 - Victory Over Sin And Death
Life on the other side will be as real and as earnest as here. We shall not dissolve into thin mist or flit as bodiless ghosts. We shall each be provided with a body like that which our Lord had after, He arose from the dead. It will be a spiritual body, able to go and come at a wish or a thought; a body that will be perfectly adapted to its spiritual world environment. The last Adam, our Lord, will effect this for us. But we must in the meanwhile be content to make the best use of the discipline of mortality, keeping our body pure and sweet as the temple and vehicle of the Holy Spirit until we are born into the next stage of existence. Always the physical before the psychical and the psychical before the spiritual.
What triumph rings through those last four verses! As generations of Christians have stood around the mortal remains of their beloved, they have uttered these words of immortal hope. The trumpet's notes will call those who have died and the saints that are still alive on the earth, into one mighty host of transfigured and redeemed humanity. Oh, happy day! Then we shall be manifested, rewarded, and glorified with Christ. All mysteries solved, all questions answered! Till then let us abound always in the work of the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 15:51

A mystery [μυστηριον]
He does not claim that he has explained everything. He has drawn a broad parallel which opens the door of hope and confidence. [source]
We shall not all sleep [παντες ου κοιμητησομετα]
Future passive indicative of κοιμαομαι — koimaomai to sleep. Not all of us shall die, Paul means. Some people will be alive when he comes. Paul does not affirm that he or any then living will be alive when Jesus comes again. He simply groups all under the phrase “we all.” But we shall all be changed (παντες δε αλλαγησομετα — pantes de allagēsometha). Second future passive indicative of αλλασσω — allassō Both living and dead shall be changed and so receive the resurrection body. See this same idea at more length in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. [source]
But we shall all be changed [παντες δε αλλαγησομετα]
Second future passive indicative of αλλασσω — allassō Both living and dead shall be changed and so receive the resurrection body. See this same idea at more length in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. [source]
We shall not all sleep [πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα]
Not, there is not one of us now living who shall die before the Lord's coming, but, we shall not all die. There will be some of us Christians living when the Lord comes, but we shall be changed. The other rendering would commit the apostle to the extent of believing that not one Christian would die before the coming of Christ. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 15:51

Acts 13:36 The counsel of God [τηι του τεου βουληι]
So here, either the dative, the object of υπηρετησας — hupēretēsas if γενεαι — geneāi is locative, or the instrumental case “by the counsel of God” which again may be construed either with υπηρετησας — hupēretēsas (having served) or after εκοιμητη — ekoimēthē (fell on sleep). Either of the three ways is grammatical and makes good sense. Κοιμαομαι — Koimaomai for death we have already had (Acts 7:60). So Jesus (John 11:11) and Paul (1 Corinthians 15:6, 1 Corinthians 15:51). Was laid (προσετετη — prosetethē). Was added unto (first aorist passive indicative of προστιτημι — prostithēmi). See the verb in Acts 2:47; Acts 5:14. This figure for death probably arose from the custom of burying families together (Genesis 15:15; Jud Genesis 2:10). Saw corruption As Jesus did not (Acts 2:31) as he shows in Acts 13:37. [source]
2 Corinthians 4:13 We also believe [και ημεις πιστευομεν]
Like the Psalmist. And therefore can speak with effect. Otherwise useless. Shall present us with you (και παραστησει συν ημιν — kai parastēsei sun hēmin). This shows that Paul was not certain that he would be alive when Jesus comes as has been wrongly inferred from 1 Corinthians 7:29; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51. [source]
2 Corinthians 4:13 Shall present us with you [και παραστησει συν ημιν]
This shows that Paul was not certain that he would be alive when Jesus comes as has been wrongly inferred from 1 Corinthians 7:29; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:13 Them which are asleep [τῶν κοιμωμένων]
Or, who are sleeping. See on Acts 7:60; see on 2 Peter 3:4, and comp. 1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 1 Corinthians 15:18, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Corinthians 15:51; John 11:11, etc. The dead members of the Thessalonian church. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 15:51 mean?

Behold a mystery to you I tell All not we will sleep however we will be changed
Ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα

Ἰδοὺ  Behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
μυστήριον  a  mystery 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μυστήριον  
Sense: hidden thing, secret, mystery.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
λέγω  I  tell 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
κοιμηθησόμεθα  we  will  sleep 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: κοιμάω  
Sense: to cause to sleep, put to sleep.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀλλαγησόμεθα  we  will  be  changed 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἀλλάσσω  
Sense: to change, to exchange one thing for another, to transform.