Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:34

What does 1 Corinthians 15:34 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 15:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 15:34 means

Paul calls the church to wake up to sober righteousness and stop sinning. Their flirtation with resurrection denial shows that “some have no knowledge of God”—a shameful condition in a church taught the gospel. Sound knowledge of God and His power to raise the dead produces holy living; ignorance breeds compromise. The verse is a pastoral rebuke meant to restore sanity. Right doctrine is not cold theory; it is the light by which believers walk. By urging them to shame over their lapse, Paul aims to jolt them back to the truth they once embraced with clarity and conviction.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not; for some have no knowledge of God: I speak this to move you to shame.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

awake up, as is right, and sin not; for certain have an ignorance of God; for shame to you I say <FI>it<Fi> .

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Awake, ye just, and sin not. For some have not the knowledge of God. I speak it to your shame.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Awake up righteously, and sin not; for some are ignorant ofGod: I speak to you as a matter of shame.

Context

Concluding the practical exhortations (vv. 29–34), Paul commands moral sobriety and exposes ignorance of God in their midst (v. 34). With that wake-up call, he turns to anticipate and answer objections about the mechanics of resurrection (vv. 35–49). The flow moves from rebuking the consequences of false teaching to positively instructing how God raises the dead and what kind of bodies believers will have.

v.33Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.

v.34This passage

v.35But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 1:28

    And even as they refused to have God intheirknowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

  • Jonah 1:6

    So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

  • Joel 1:5

    Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and wail, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

  • John 5:14

    Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee.

  • Psalms 4:4

    Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. [Selah

  • Romans 13:11

    And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when wefirstbelieved.

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore 1 Corinthians 15

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on 1 Corinthians 15.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to 1 Corinthians 15:34.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary