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1 Corinthians 15:34

Wake up righteously, and don’t sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:34 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
  • BSB Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.
  • NKJV Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
  • NASB Sober up morally and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
  • NLT Think carefully about what is right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Paul calls them to wake up to righteousness and stop sinning, shaming their ignorance of God. It matters because doctrinal error had moral and spiritual consequences.

Overview

Paul issues a sharp summons to sober, righteous living, rebuking the spiritual ignorance behind the resurrection error. That some among them had no real knowledge of God was to their shame. The verse links right belief about resurrection with a holy life that honors God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • 1 Cor 6:5I say this to move you to shame. Isn’t there even one wise man among you who would be able to decide between his brothers?
  • Rom 13:11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed.
  • Heb 5:11–12About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
  • Joel 1:5Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
  • Eph 5:14Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
  • 1 Cor 8:7However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
  • Rom 1:28Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
  • John 8:11She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
  • John 5:14Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.”
  • Jonah 1:6So the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.”
  • Ps 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
  • 1 Th 4:5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;
  • Ps 4:4Stand in awe, and don’t sin. Search your own heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

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Christ at the center

Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.

How 1 Corinthians 15:34 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.