1 COR 15:26 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

In this section Paul reminded the Corinthian believers about the gospel and showed them that the resurrection from the dead was an important part of the gospel. First (15:1–11) he wrote about the evidence showing that God raised Christ from the dead. Then (15:12–34) he taught that God will raise believers from the dead. Finally (15:35–58) he taught about what the resurrection body will be like.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The resurrection

People who die will live again

Christ has risen and his people will rise also

Paragraph 15:20–28

In this paragraph Paul wrote about how God will conquer death. God will rule over everything and everyone.

15:26

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The last enemy he will destroy is death itself.
When all his enemies have been destroyed, mankind will no longer die.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death: This is a figure of speech called personification. Paul spoke of death as a person who is an enemy. At the end, Christ will conquer this enemy and take away its power. This is figurative way to say that from then on, none of God’s people will die.

Here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:

In the end death itself will die!

Christ will cause it to be that never again will his people die.

When all his enemies have been destroyed, mankind will no longer die

to be destroyed: This is a passive verb. There are two ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
The last enemy to be eliminated is death. (NET)
Use an active verb. If you need to supply an agent, you should supply “Christ.”
the last enemy that Christ will destroy is death
death itself, the final enemy, will die

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἔσχατος ἐχθρός καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος)

Here Paul speaks about death as if it were a person who was an enemy of Christ and believers. By speaking in this way, Paul identifies the fact that people die as something that does not fit with Christ’s full rule. If it would be helpful in your language, you could describe more generally how death is in opposition to Christ and believers. Alternate translation: [the last thing that defies Christ to be abolished: death]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἔσχατος ἐχθρὸς καταργεῖται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἔσχατος ἐχθρός καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form to emphasize the enemy that is abolished more than the person doing the “abolishing.” If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that “Christ” did it. Alternate translation: [The last enemy that Christ will abolish]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

καταργεῖται ὁ θάνατος

˓is_being˒_nullified_‹is› ¬the death

In this sentence, Paul does not use a main verb. He uses this form to emphasize death as the last enemy. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate death to include a verb such as “is” and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [to be abolished is death] or [to be abolished is this: death]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

καταργεῖται

˓is_being˒_nullified_‹is›

Here, abolished refers to making someone or something ineffective or no longer in control. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express abolished with a word or phrase that indicates that the Messiah has conquered or made something ineffective. Alternate translation: [to be overcome] or [to be nullified]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὁ θάνατος

¬the death

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind death, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “die.” Alternate translation: [that people die] or [the fact that people die]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:26

SR Greek word order

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

Paragraph 15:20–28

15:26

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:26

SR Greek word order

Section 15:1–58: Believers will rise from the dead

Paragraph 15:20–28

15:26

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 15:26