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  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
    • 55 “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”+

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
    • 55 ποῦ Where σου, of you, θάνατε, death, τὸ the νῖκος; victory? ποῦ Where σου, of you, θάνατε, death, τὸ the κέντρον; sting?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
    • 55 “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”*+

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    The Bible in Living English
    • 55 “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Where is your victory, death? where is your sting, death?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    American Standard Version
    • 55 O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    The Emphasized Bible
    • 55 Where, O death, is thy victory? Where, O death, is thy sting?

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55
    King James Version
    • 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

  • 1 Corinthians
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1986-2025
    • 15:55 w05 11/15 29; w95 2/15 10

  • 1 Corinthians
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985
    • 15:55 w65 50; im 228; w63 734; w49 284; w44 123; w41 156

  • 1 Corinthians
    Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses—2019 Edition
    • 15:55

      The Watchtower,

      11/15/2005, p. 29

      2/15/1995, p. 10

  • 1 Corinthians Study Notes—Chapter 15
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
    • 15:55

      “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”: Paul here quotes Ho 13:14. Hosea’s prophecy was not indicating that those disobedient Israelites would be resurrected from the dead at that time. However, Paul’s application of Ho 13:14 shows that this prophecy was pointing to the time when the dead would be raised to life and the Grave (Sheol, or Hades) would be made powerless. Paul’s quotation is, in part, from the Septuagint, which reads: “Where is your penalty [or “punishment”], O death? O Hades, where is your sting?” By using these rhetorical questions addressed to enemy Death (1Co 15:25, 26), Paul, in effect, is saying: “Death, you will not be victorious again! Death, your sting has no effect anymore!”

      sting: The Greek word kenʹtron can refer to a sting of an animal, like that of a scorpion. It is used at Re 9:10, where the symbolic locusts are described as having “tails with stingers like scorpions.” Here at 1Co 15:55, the term is used figuratively of the pain and suffering caused to millions of humans by the enemy death. (1Co 15:26) Just as a scorpion deprived of its stinger cannot sting, death will not have power over spirit-anointed ones who have been resurrected to inherit God’s Kingdom and have gained immortality. (1Co 15:57; Re 20:6) During the Thousand Year Reign of Christ, God will completely do away with the sting of Adamic death when millions are resurrected and death is figuratively hurled into “the lake of fire.”​—Re 20:12-14; 21:4; Joh 5:28, 29.

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