1 Corinthians 15 24

1 Corinthians 15:24 kjv

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24 nkjv

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24 niv

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24 esv

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24 nlt

After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15 verses

1 Corinthians 15 24 meaning

This verse describes a pivotal event in the grand divine redemptive plan: following the complete subjugation of all God's enemies, Christ, as the conquering King, will present the Kingdom back to God the Father. It signifies the ultimate fulfillment of His redemptive mission, where His temporal, mediatorial reign concludes its specific purpose of destroying all hostile powers, paving the way for God's eternal, unmediated sovereignty to be universally manifest. This "handing over" demonstrates Christ's perfect obedience and the harmonious, unified purpose within the Godhead for the ultimate restoration of all things under God's rule.

1 Corinthians 15 24 Context

1 Corinthians chapter 15 is the Apostle Paul's monumental defense and explanation of the resurrection of the dead. He first establishes the undeniable reality of Christ's resurrection (vv. 1-11) as the bedrock of Christian faith, warning that without it, faith is futile (vv. 12-19). He then moves to explain the order and nature of the general resurrection (vv. 20-23): Christ is the "firstfruits," then those who belong to Him at His coming. Verse 24 logically follows this sequence, detailing what happens after the resurrection of the saints. It explains the culminating act of Christ's mediatorial reign – the defeat of all enemies, culminating in Death, and the subsequent presentation of the "Kingdom" to God the Father. This passage directly confronts Hellenistic ideas that doubted bodily resurrection and offers a complete eschatological narrative, underscoring God's ultimate victory and universal sovereignty.

1 Corinthians 15 24 Word analysis

• Then (ἔπειτα, epeita): Signifies a definite sequential order or "next in succession." It follows the previous point of Christ's coming and the resurrection of "those who are Christ's" (v. 23). It implies a distinct, subsequent phase in God's redemptive plan.
• the end (τὸ τέλος, to telos): Not merely a cessation or termination, but a fulfillment, goal, or completion. It marks the culmination of the entire eschatological process initiated by Christ's first coming, specifically the end of His mediatorial or redemptive reign on earth, as distinguished from God's eternal and universal reign. This 'end' signifies the achieved purpose.
• when He delivers up (ὅταν παραδιδῷ, hotan paradidō): Hotan indicates "whensoever" or "when it occurs," pointing to a definite event. Paradidō means "to hand over," "to give up," "to commit," or "to surrender." This is a purposeful and voluntary act by Christ, not a loss of power but a fulfillment of His mission. It implies a transfer of responsibility or authority regarding a specific domain.
• the Kingdom (τὴν βασιλείαν, tēn basileian): Refers specifically to the Kingdom over which Christ, as Messiah and glorified Son of Man, has been ruling (His mediatorial reign) since His ascension, culminating in the complete subjection of all hostile powers. This "Kingdom" is not the eternal, inherent sovereignty of God over all creation, but rather the redeemed cosmos and the sphere in which Christ has actively exercised His messianic, redemptive authority.
• to God, even the Father (τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί, tō Theō kai Patri): Emphasizes the ultimate destination of the Kingdom. Christ is acting in perfect submission to and unity with God, His Father. This clarifies that Christ's reign is subservient to the Father's overarching divine plan, demonstrating the Trinitarian harmony and the Father's supreme position in the ultimate scheme of redemptive history. It highlights that all things ultimately return to and find their source and fulfillment in God the Father.

1 Corinthians 15 24 Bonus section

The specific language "He delivers up the Kingdom to God, even the Father" counters any notion that Christ's kingship would ever be in opposition to or independent of the Father's ultimate sovereignty. It reinforces the consistent biblical portrayal of God's overarching plan for a universal re-establishment of His rule through Christ. Some early interpretations and theological discussions considered this a deep theological point about the oikonomia (divine economy or administration) of salvation, rather than a statement about the eternal relationship of the persons within the Godhead. Christ, as Mediator, completes His delegated task and brings all the fruits of that work – a subjugated, reconciled creation – back to its divine origin. This concept strongly connects to the idea that just as humanity's rule over creation was initially delegated by God (Gen 1:26), so Christ's messianic rule, though universal, is ultimately from and for the Father. It represents the final act in undoing the effects of sin and Satan, culminating in perfect submission and order.

1 Corinthians 15 24 Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:24 is a cornerstone verse in Christian eschatology, elucidating the ultimate consummation of Christ's redemptive work. After Christ’s resurrection, which secures our own, His ongoing reign is active, systematically conquering every power hostile to God, with death being the final enemy (v. 26). The "Kingdom" He hands over is not His inherent divine sovereignty, which is eternal (Ps 45:6), but the redeemed order over which He reigns as Messiah, the King actively engaged in subjugating opposition. This mediatorial reign serves a distinct, temporary purpose. Once all opposition is definitively vanquished, the purpose of this specific phase of His kingship is fulfilled.

The act of "handing over" is a demonstration of Christ's perfect obedience and identification with the Father's ultimate plan, ensuring that "God may be all in all" (v. 28). This does not diminish Christ's glory or eternal status; rather, it magnifies His role as the faithful Son who completes the work given to Him by the Father. It is a powerful statement of Trinitarian unity, where Christ, though divine, functionally subordinates Himself in the role of Mediator to accomplish the Father's will, culminating in a restored cosmos where God's unmediated reign is fully manifest. This transition brings history to its God-appointed telos – a grand, purposeful conclusion where perfect order and submission to the Divine Will prevail.