1 Corinthians 15:51

1 Corinthians 15:51

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

a. NLT: But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—[THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: lo, I tell you a secret; we indeed shall not all sleep, and we all shall be changed; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed) [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation: Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

1. “Behold, I shew you a mystery…”

a. Behold [Strong: 2400. idou id-oo' second person singular imperative middle voice of 1492; used as imperative lo!; --behold, lo, see.]

b. [I] shew [Strong: 3004. lego leg'-o a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

c. you [Strong: 5213. humin hoo-min' irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

d. [a] mystery [Strong: 3466. musterion moos-tay'-ree-on from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites):--mystery.]

2. “…We shall not all sleep…”

a. We shall…sleep [Strong: 2837. koimao koy-mah'-o from 2749; to put to sleep, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease:--(be a-, fall a-, fall on) sleep, be dead.]

1). He is referring to death not sleep as will be established in the context.

a). Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

b). John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friendLazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

b. not [Strong: 3756. ou oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

c. all [Strong: 3956 pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), × daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

1). He is speaking here about death not just sleep. He is saying not all believers are going to end their lives on earth by death. He then goes into describing why not every believer will end their life by death.

3. “…but we shall all be changed.”

d. but [Strong: 1161. de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

e. we shall…be changed [236 * allasso] [Strong:  allasso al-las'-so from 243; to make different:--change.]

f. all [[Strong: 3956 pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), × daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

1). Though every believer will not end their life on earth by death, all believers will be changed. The corruptible must put on the incorruptible, we will change from mortal to immortal. As we shall discover in the whole passage this will take place at the rapture.

a). 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.