What does 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 mean?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (KJV) reads: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." It sits in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, a piece of pastoral letter to a troubled church from the New Testament, and is most often read as a verse about easter. The meaning sharpens when you read the verses immediately around it and notice how 1 Corinthians as a whole is arguing its case.

What is the context of 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 in 1 Corinthians?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 belongs to 1 Corinthians 15, which fits inside 1 Corinthians's wider message as pastoral letter to a troubled church. Before applying the verse, read at least the paragraph it appears in so you can see who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what situation prompted the words.

Is 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 from the Old or New Testament?

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 is from the New Testament — specifically the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. That matters because New Testament verses are written after the resurrection and speak directly into the life of the church under the new covenant.

What translation of 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 is used here?

Every verse on Bible Sundays is quoted from the King James Version (KJV), the public-domain English translation first published in 1611. We use the KJV consistently so the wording you memorise on one page matches the wording on every other page of the site.

How can I memorise 1 Corinthians 15:55-57?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 aloud three times, write it out by hand once, then try to recite it from memory. Repeat morning and evening for a week. Pair it with the theme of easter so your mind has a natural retrieval cue. Reviewing on day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 30 locks it in for the long term.

How should I apply 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 today?

Identify one specific situation in the next 24 hours — a conversation, a decision, a fear, a temptation around easter — where 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 should change your response. Pray the verse back to God for that situation, then act on it. Application is what turns reading into obedience.

Easter Card Verse

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 for Easter Cards

A free, printable, share-ready KJV card verse. Pick a theme, download as a high-resolution image, or copy the text for handwritten cards.

For Easter

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

King James Versionbiblesundays.com

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Why 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 works for easter cards

Paul's triumphant taunt over defeated death — exhilarating for Easter cards.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Read 1 Corinthians 15 (KJV) →

How to use this easter card

Pick a theme above that matches the recipient's taste — botanical for weddings and showers, midnight for solemn occasions, kraft for rustic.
Download the PNG at 1200×1500 — Pinterest-optimized and high enough resolution for printing on standard 5×7 cardstock.
Send digitally via text, email, or social, or print and pair with a handwritten note inside.
Reference the chapter — readers often want to look up the surrounding context. Tap the link above to read 1 Corinthians 15 in the KJV.

More Easter card verses

Matthew 28:6

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said."

John 11:25-26

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."

Romans 6:9

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."

1 Peter 1:3

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Romans 8:11

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies."

Colossians 3:1

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

John 14:19

"Because I live, ye shall live also."

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

See all 12 easter card verses →