Paul means that not every believer will die physically, but every believer — whether already dead or still alive — will be changed into a new, incorruptible body in an instant at the last trumpet.
Paul reveals a mystery: 'We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.' He uses 'sleep' for physical death, so the meaning is that believers alive when the last trumpet sounds will not die before receiving new bodies. Instead, in a moment — in the twinkling of an eye — the dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible, and living believers will be changed. Both groups are included; no believer is left unchanged.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 — Paul directly answers the question in this passage, revealing that not all believers will die ('sleep'), that all will be changed, and that this change happens in a moment at the last trumpet.
First Corinthians 15:51–53 says: 'Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.' The verses themselves state that the change applies to all ('we shall all be changed'), that it occurs 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye' at the sounding of the last trumpet, and that at that same trumpet the dead are raised incorruptible. The passage also gives the necessity of the change: 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.'
Les Feldick teaches that 'sleep' in this verse means physical death — Paul's point is that not every believer will die before the change takes place (Clips 1, 3, 6). The change, however, applies to everyone: 'not just the most spiritual, not just the most devoted, but every believer is going to be changed' (Clip 3). Les explains that the change happens 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye' — the Greek word implies 'down to the smallest part of time,' about 'a thousandth of a blink of an eye' (Clip 3). He makes the same point elsewhere: 'that word in the Greek is the smallest division of time' (Clip 4). At the last trumpet, the dead in Christ — the church-age saints in the body of Christ — will be raised incorruptible, and then living believers will 'suddenly take flight, and we will go up with them' (Clip 1). He describes the change as a 'metamorphosis' (Clip 5): believers will be changed 'from this body of corruption to a body of incorruption,' losing 'the flesh and blood concept' and becoming 'flesh and bone and activated by the Spirit' (Clip 7). The reason is that 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality' — believers 'have to be made fit for eternity in God's presence' (Clip 2) and 'can't go to glory in this old body' (Clip 6). Finally, Les notes that Paul introduces this as a mystery because it had never been revealed before: 'Jesus never mentioned this. The Old Testament never mentioned it, but Paul does, and so he calls it a secret' (Clip 6).
Les Feldick teaches that 'sleep' in this context means physical death. He paraphrases the verse as 'We shall not all sleep or die a physical death' (Clip 3) and 'We shall not all sleep or die physically' (Clip 6). Paul's point is that not every believer will physically die before the change takes place.
Every believer is included, according to Les: 'not just the most spiritual, not just the most devoted, but every believer is going to be changed' (Clip 3). The dead raised at this trumpet are 'the dead in Christ' — 'those who have been part and parcel now of the body of Christ, not the Old Testament saints' — in other words, 'the church-age saints' (Clip 1). When the trumpet sounds, 'the dead in Christ will rise first, and then we will suddenly take flight, and we will go up with them' (Clip 1).
Les emphasizes the speed of the change. The Greek word behind 'moment' implies 'down to the smallest part of time' — 'it's going to be about in a thousandth of a blink of an eye' (Clip 3). He makes the same point elsewhere: 'that word in the Greek is the smallest division of time' (Clip 4). The change happens so fast that believers leave behind 'no trace,' only 'our clothes and our material goods' (Clip 3).
Paul's own explanation is that 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality' (1 Corinthians 15:53). Les draws out the reason: 'We have to be made fit for eternity in God's presence. We have to be given this new body' (Clip 2), and 'we can't go to glory in this old body' (Clip 6). The change moves believers 'from this body of corruption to a body of incorruption' — losing 'the flesh and blood concept' and becoming 'flesh and bone and activated by the Spirit' (Clip 7).
Les points out that Paul introduces the passage with 'Behold, I shew you a mystery' (1 Corinthians 15:51) because this truth had never been revealed before. 'Nowhere in Scripture has it ever been told that there would be a group of people living... who will suddenly be gone and translated until Paul' (Clip 6). 'Jesus never mentioned this. The Old Testament never mentioned it, but Paul does, and so he calls it a secret' (Clip 6). It was 'a mystery that no one had ever understood until the Lord revealed it to this apostle' (Clip 5).
The Rapture vs. The Second Coming — What's the Difference?
I've got to do this hurriedly, otherwise I won't have time on my Rapture references. the women's ravaged, and half the city shall go forth into captivity. The rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city." And then verse 3, "...then when it looks like there is no hope, shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations," these Gentile nations that have come to destroy the nation of …
The Last Trumpet and the Dead in Christ
Les explains that 'sleep' means death, that the dead in Christ — church-age saints in the body of Christ — will be raised incorruptible at the last trumpet, and that living believers will suddenly take flight to go up with them.
Made Fit for Eternity
Les connects the change to verse 53 — the corruptible must put on incorruption and the mortal must put on immortality — because believers must be made fit for eternity in God's presence.
Every Believer Changed in an Instant
Les stresses that every believer will be changed, not just the most spiritual, and that the change happens in a thousandth of a blink of an eye — so fast that believers leave behind no trace except clothes and material goods.
The Greek Word for 'Moment'
Les notes that the Greek word translated 'moment' is the smallest division of time, underscoring how instantaneous the change is.
A Metamorphosis Kept Secret
Les explains that living believers will not die and be resurrected but will be changed in a metamorphosis — a mystery no one understood until the Lord revealed it to Paul.
A Secret Never Before Revealed
Les explains that the translation of a living group of believers was never revealed in the Old Testament or by Jesus — Paul called it a secret because believers cannot go to glory in the old body.
From Corruption to Incorruption
Les explains that believers alive at Christ's return will not die and be resurrected but will be changed in a split second from corruption to incorruption — becoming flesh and bone activated by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
The verse in question — Paul reveals the mystery that not all believers will die, but all will be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Describes the instantaneous change at the last trumpet and the raising of the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:53: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Gives the reason believers must be changed: mortal, corruptible bodies must become immortal and incorruptible.
Yes. Les Feldick explains that 'sleep' in this verse refers to physical death. Paul's point is that not every believer will die before the Lord returns — believers who are alive will be instantly changed instead of dying and being resurrected.
Yes. At the last trumpet the dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible, and then living believers will be changed and will go up together with them. Les identifies these as the church-age saints who are in the body of Christ.
Because, as Paul writes, 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.' Les explains that believers cannot enter glory in the old body — it must be changed to make them fit for eternity in God's presence.
In a moment — in the twinkling of an eye. Les notes that the Greek word for 'moment' means the smallest possible division of time, about a thousandth of a blink of an eye.
Watch the Teaching: The Rapture vs. The Second Coming — What's the Difference?